Recipe: Beef Fillets in Flaky Pastry

Here's a recipe that's very good, not difficult, and delicious! Even better, you can make it ahead of time!

BEEF FILLETS IN FLAKY PASTRY
(Serves 6)

2 Tbs butter
6 6-ounce each beef fillets, trimmed of all fat
6 Tbs Madeira or sherry (I've used sherry)
3/4 lb fresh mushrooms, minced
1 pkg of 6 patty shells OR frozen puff pastry sheets
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Bearnaise sauce (optional)

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Sear steaks on both sides until nicely browned. Pour in two tablespoons of the wine and evaporate off. Transfer steaks to a platter and chill.

To the pan, add the remaining wine and mushrooms. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until all of the liquid evaporates. Chill mixture.

Roll out each shell on a lightly floured board to make a circle 8 inches in diameter. Place some of the mushroom mixture in the center of each circle. Place a fillet on top. Salt and pepper lightly. Fold pastry over steak and enclose tightly. Place on a baking tray seam side down. Cover and refrigerate at least 15 minutes or as long as overnight.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until pastry is nicely browned. For the first 10 minutes, place baking sheet on lowest oven rack. After 10 minutes, remove to highest rack. The meat will be rare. (If you want a more well-done piece of meat, cook longer in the pan before placing in the pastry.)

Serve with Bearnaise sauce, if desired. Good accompaniments are "Different Baked Potatoes" (which I'll post next), and a fresh steamed seasonal vegetable of your choice. Cat, I have a favorite recipe for the Bearnaise sauce - let me know if you want me to post it.

I've made this recipe for just my husband and myself also by more or less halving the ingredients. Hope you try this and like it -

Janet