Recipe: REC: Beef Wellington

Beef Wellington

1 whole fillet of beef, trimmed
1/4 cup melted butter
1 [4 oz.] can liver pate
1 cup chopped, sauteed mushrooms
2 TBLS. minced shallots or onion
2 [11 oz.] packages pie crust mix (I usually use Pepperidge Farm Puff pastry.I roll it out a little thinner and use roughly 1 1/2 sheets, depending on the size of the fillet).

If you use the pie crust mix....
1/4 cup cold butter
1/2 cup ice water
1 egg - well beaten (you'll need this anyway for an egg wash for the puff pastry)

Shape fillet into a long even roll, turning under long narrow ends and tying them in place with kitchen
cord. Place in a "Pammed" roasting pan and brush with melted butter. Roast in a preheated hot 425
oven about 20 - 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Remove cord. (At this point they say to mix
the pate with the mushrooms and onions). Spread pate/mushroom mixture over cooled fillet. Now,
roll out the puff pastry OR pour pie crust mixture into a large bowl. Cut in butter until particles are the
size of peas. Stir in ice water and stir with a fork until the dough becomes a ball and cleans the bowl.
Roll out 3/4 of the dough on a floured board into an oblong shape large enough to enclose the fillet.
Place fillet, liver coated side down, in the middle of the crust. Wrap crust around the fillet and fasten
edges with beaten egg. Fold in ends and fasten with beaten egg. Place fillet seam side down on a greased
baking sheet (I use a jelly roll pan). Brush with egg. Roll out remaining crust and cut into strips or
decorations (use your imagination) roses, leaves, whatever. Arrange on top of fillet and brush with
beaten egg. Bake in a preheated 400 oven 25 minutes or until richly browned. (I check with an instant
read thermometer...you want the beef RARE).Cut with sharp knife....try not to mangle the pastry. Serve
with broiled mushroom crowns, Bernaise sauce.

Serves 8.