Make It Monday: Mini Beef Wellington

It's Make-It-Monday with a taste from history. Arthur Wellesley was first Duke of Wellington, British soldier, statesman, native of Ireland and Ambassador to France. He is regarded as one of the greatest defensive commanders of all time, and many of his tactics and battle plans are still studied in military academies around the world.

The Duke loved beef, mushrooms, truffles, Madeira wine and pâté cooked in pastry. This recipe was named in his honor after he became a national hero for defeating Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815, which ended Napoleon's rule as Emperor of the French.

Beef Wellington is a seared filet of beef tenderloin topped with either Foie Gras‚ and/or Duxelles (a mince of mushrooms blended with additional flavoring ingredients), wrapped in puffed pastry and finished in the oven. As with Chateaubriand, the noble Wellington is accompanied with Bearnaise, Colbert, Madeira, Perigourdine or Chateaubriand sauces.

In this mini version from Pepperidge Farm's Puff Pastry kitchen, golden puff pastry encases individual tender filet mignon cuts together with a savory mushroom-shallot mixture and a touch of Gorgonzola cheese. It is as elegant as it is magnificent.

Mini Beef Wellingtons with Mushrooms & Gorgonzola
Serves 8

3 lb. beef tenderloin
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
8 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
2 tbsp. finely chopped shallots
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 pkg. (17.3 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (2 sheets)
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1 egg, beaten

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut tenderloin into 8 (one-half inch thick) filet mignon steaks. Season the beef with black pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook for 10 minutes, turning the beef over once during cooking. Remove the beef to a plate. Pat to dry off excess oil. Cover the plate and refrigerate for 1 hour or until the beef is cold.

Melt butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, shallots and garlic and season with black pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are tender, stirring often. Remove the mushroom mixture from the skillet and let cool.

Sprinkle work surface with flour. Unfold the pastry sheets on the floured surface. Roll the pastry sheets into 2 (14-inch) squares. Trim the edges to form 2 (13-inch) squares. Cut each square into 4 squares, making 8 squares in all.

Place 1 tablespoon Gorgonzola in the center of each pastry square. Divide the mushroom mixture evenly among the pastry squares. Top each with 1 filet mignon. Fold 2 opposite pastry corners over the beef, overlapping slightly, and press to seal. Brush with the egg. Repeat with the remaining pastry corners.

Place the pastry-wrapped beef seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate the pastry-wrapped beef and the remaining egg for 1 hour or overnight.

Heat the oven to 425°F. Brush the pastry-wrapped beef with the remaining egg. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the temperature of the beef is 117°F. Serve immediately with a leafy green salad.

Recipe Note: Parchment paper keeps the pastry from sticking to the baking sheet and also makes for easier cleanup. If you don't have parchment paper, you can spray the baking sheet with cooking spray instead. However, cooking spray may cause the bottoms of the pastries to brown more quickly, so begin checking for doneness 5 minutes early.

Nutritional Information (amount per serving)
Calories 128; Carbohydrates 17.4g; Cholesterol 0mg; Fiber 1.2g; Sugars 1.1g; Sodium 141.7mg; Fat 4.1g; Protein 3g

* Source: Puff Pastry

Cholesterol is an essential substance for the body's normal function, but when cholesterol levels in the blood get too high, it becomes a silent killer that puts the body at risk for heart attack. There are two types of cholesterol. Good (HDL) and Bad (LDL). You want to know your limit before you eat another bite of food.