Where’s the Beef? It’s in the pastry!
I love miniature versions of well known dishes, and these spinach, mushroom, roasted pepper and cheese filled individual Beef Wellingtons are one of my favorite takes on classic Beef Wellington.
Anything Wellington or En Croute always conjures up weddings for me. It seems every nuptial I’ve ever been to gives you a choice between some kind of naked protein and some kind of protein wrapped in pastry.
Your choices are usually something like, Chicken Francese or the Beef Wellington? Eeny meeny miny mo. Oh, of course there’s always a V option, (Vegan or Vegetarian), but I’m not going there today. Today I’m wrapping up a ton of beef with a ton of filling in a ton of pastry. Translation – I’ll have the Beef Wellington, please.
And that is what I usually choose at most weddings, if offered.
When this month’s Daring Cooks challenge was announced, it was for a salmon en croute, with the choice of using another meat such as beef, a la Beef Wellington. I love salmon, especially smoked, but unfortunately, so does everyone close to me (the people I’d be serving it to), but ONLY smoked. Can you believe it? Every single person I might feed does not like salmon unless it’s smoked. I always get the same line..
“I just don’t like salmon unless it’s smoked – you know, like lox”.
When inquired as to why, it’s also always the same answer;
“I dunno, it tastes too fishy.”
Well, apparently they’ve never had a good piece of salmon, but what was I going to do? Prepare a beautiful salmon en croute and beg them to try it again? No, I was going to play it safe and stick with good ole’ beef. Beef tenderloin is wicked expensive, but at least they’ll eat it. (Ironically, I made salmon patties one night, and they loved them. Maybe because I didn’t tell them it was fresh salmon?).
Photo of seared beef filet in tongs courtesy finecooking.com
The 2009 Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Simone of Junglefrog Cooking. Simone chose Salmon en Croute (or alternative recipes for Beef Wellington or Vegetable en Croute) from Good Food Online. Thanks for a great challenge, Simone!
Now that I got that out of the way, may I say I had to wrestle with a cow to complete this challenge? Okay, a little bit of an exaggeration. What went from four 5-6 oz center cut portions of filet mignon, magically morphed into a whole beef tenderloin. Yep, I decided to make individual Beef Wellingtons, and in order to do so, I had to clean (silver skin, fat etc) and portion up a tubular behemoth of beef that was presented to me;
“It was on sale, Lisa..$18.00 a pound!”
I was initially going to post a few photos of the tenderloin and my butchering mastery (HA!), but reconsidered, figuring that most people had probably seen the Texas Chainsaw Massacre or some Rob Zombie remake (insert favorite slasher movie) at some point in their lives.
Plus, I like to keep it clean for my beautiful and amazing vegetarian and vegan readers.
I really wanted to go a little off the beaten path with these, meaning adding stuff that usually doesn’t mesh with beef, to try and mesh it, but it was imperative (considering the price of tenderloin) they be eaten, and I knew there might be a few inquiries as to what the blueish white stuff was (blue cheese), along with blanched, seasoned spinach, roasty red peppers, strips of marinated, sauteed portobello mushrooms, and caramelized onions, so I stopped there. The general consensus was that it was rich, but oh, so ambrosial! You really can’t go wrong with a whole meal in a flaky, buttery package.
I have a go to recipe for individual beef wellingtons that turns out perfect every.single.time, and I incorporated some of the fillings into the recipe Simone supplied, omitting the mustard, prosciutto and crepes (the blue cheese served as a sog blocker). BUT, then the recipes are almost interchangeable, aren’t they? Well, mine possess a great deal of beefy individuality. Sorry, couldn’t resist the obvious. That said, I used some of the leftover, wonderful puff pastry that I had frozen from the Daring Baker’s September challenge, but I had to incorporate some PF puff pastry since I didn’t have nearly enough to cover and decorate six Beef Wellingtons.
Although it pained me, I had no choice but to cook two of them to preference for two people, and truth be told, cooking beef tenderloin past rare (medium rare is the limit), is sort of like pissing on the Alamo (bonus points for Ozzy reference?). I used to tell this person I used to know that if he kept ordering good cuts of steak well done, or even medium well, the chef just might spit on it.
On the flip side, the other person likes his beef close to mooing (super rare as in, a really good veterinarian could probably bring it back to life), so I had to pull that one out a little early. Doesn’t look too great, does it? Then again, I do love me some steak tartare, but ground beef is much easier to swallow, raw.
All in all, this was one tasty challenge and there was not a crumb left (although I’ve got loads of beef tenderloin cuts in my freezer now). If you’d like the yummy recipes for Salmon en Croute and Beef Wellington, go HERE.
Get the recipe for Individual Beef Wellingtons with Mushroom, Caramelized Onion, Spinach & Blue Cheese Filling (I added chopped roasted red peppers to the filling) –> HERE .
you always make me smile and wish I would get something of this delicious food you make.
love the little packets and adore the colors. I can say that I would even eat the sad little thing.
I must say for a non-meat eater it looks good enough to eat. That’s a high compliment from someone who hasn’t had filet mignon for 23 years. Once again “well done” job.
Great choices for the filling Lisa! I so want to do the beef wellington myself too as I only got to do the salmon (well ok twice..) but the beef is next on the list. I am glad you liked the challenge!!
What? I find smoked salmon tastes more fishy than not. Kinda question the quality of salmon and how it’s been prepared for them. Though, kind of you to shift gears and go beef wellington instead.
Cute little packages and like the nice little touches you’ve added to personalise them. Pity that it didn’t work out, well, for people that actually have an appreciation for properly prepared meat 🙂
That looks so scrumptious! What tender meat!
Cheers,
Rosa
Love the shapes and individuality you gave each one! Your wellingtons look perfect =D. Using all those veggies around it makes it so much fun! Yum =D.
I enjoyed reading your blog. Your wellingtons are so cute! These are great for a sit down party this Christmas or new year. It’s both a feast to the eyes and i’m sure to the palate. I should try the wellington soon!
Looks like you had fun with the puff pastry – very elegant!
That’s some sexy beef wellington, Lisa! I can’t believe you’re president of the smoked salmon fan club! Too funny!
I love the Christmas presents you made for your Wellingtons. That’s a great thing to get. I bet they were goo-oo-ood too with the blue cheese. Great job!
Your rare wellington looks amazing!!! I’m so sorry you had to cook one well done. I completely feel your pain. It’s so hard to convince people that meat is best rare and that it’s okay to eat it that way. Incredible job on this challenge!
Your wrapping is beautiful. That is a package I would love to receive! Great job.
Elegant, beautiful, and so mouth-watering! Your filling sounds incredible and your present-wrapping skills are awesome. Happy Holidays from Coronado, CA. Did you serve cannoli for dessert?
How cute are those little parcels. I love it!
Love the little parcels Lisa, they look too cute! Oh I hear you, we know some people who will not serve meat until it’s been charred within and without!
Pretty parcels of meat 😀
Really really lovely job…I adore the individually wrapped Wellingtons!
Absolutely gorgeous! The pastry delights me 🙂
what a cut and delicious parcels. I will not mind eating one right now…
I love the individual design you gave each portion. Perfect job as usual my friend.
Happy & Warm Holidays.
I hate SAlmon, personally. But the hubby loves it, so I made a Salmon one for him and Cod for me.}:P
I’d do a Beef Wellington, but ye gads beef tenderloin is expensive and well, I like my meat well done, not rare.}:P
I should join the Daring Cooks – I’ve been wanting to make this for some now – gotta love Gordon Ramsey! Good work girl – love ya!
Wow! Gorgeous. Love the bow.
wow…that looks absolutely delicious! Makes me wish I had done the beef instead!
You did it again, Lisa! Beef wellington looks irresistable. Great photos and totally in love with the pastry decoration cutouts!
Sawadee from Bangkok,
Kris
Well done Lisa! I am loving how you decorated the pastry tops with hearts, ribbons… so creative… and the beef! It takes skill to get it to turn out still so pink and juicy!
Oh, the little parcels are so cute! And I am seriously in love with the filling you used: blue cheese, portobelli AND caramelized onions? Who could resist that?
And I agree: a non-pink roast is a sad, sad thing…
I love your little packages. It looks like you didn’t use the crepe but the pastry is still so nice and light. Congrats.
Such beautiful beef wellingtons! I love the combo of the ingredients in the filling!
oh that looks great!
Beautiful! And so cute, individually decorated. I love the one that looks like a gift wrapped with ribbon, I loooove medium rare beef…yummy.
Talk about a perfect package! Your Wellington is beautiful. I love the way you made it look like a gift. Well done!
Wow Lisa great job on the Wellingtons! I always enjoy peeping in on your site. Everything looks so beautiful, I am completely envious of your photography and styling skills.
Have a wonderful holiday and I look forward to seeing what you have done for the DB challenge!
You did an amazing & outstanding job on the pastry & on the filling, Lisa Michele!
Just so festive & ooh soo marvellous too!
MMMMM,…I wish you & your family a Merry, Happy, lovely & festive Christmas!
Ooh wow this looks so delicious!
A very warming winter meal yum yum yum!!
Ooh I love your individual ones, especially the one with the hearts! 😀 Great job as always Lisa Michele!
Oh my. Even though I’m not fond of beef, I adore your beef wellington. I love the idea of making them little parcels (the ribbon-bow you did for one of them is brilliantly clever), and the filling combination is making me drool. Beautiful pictures, and delicious food – well done!
All I can manage to say is “Oh my – even though I don’t eat beef, your wellington is kind of taunting me.” What lovely golden pastry, it glows!
Incredible. Love the how to in picture form, I’ll never eat a wellington again without thinking of your blog. It all looks delicious.
what a cute idea to use a bow to “tie” the package!!!
Thanks for your nice comment on my challenge: can you pass it onto foodgawker and tell them my photos are good? 🙂
You know how much I love filet mignon, and now that I’ve seen how good yours looks in that pastry, you know what I’ll be asking for incessantly!!!
Yum! *sigh*
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I made this recipe for Valentines Day and it was Delicious!! The only thing I altered was I used fresh spinach and it worked really well! Thank you for posting this.. It is a new family recipe!
I’m so glad you loved it as much as we do. Aimee! Thanks to fine cooking, though, since all I did differently was add roasted red peppers to their recipe 🙂
I am so happy I found your site! I love it!
%Thank you, Jennifer! I’m glad you found it too 🙂
You lost at Blue Cheese….. yukk !
You could always omit the blue cheese or use another cheese, Mark 🙂
I am a chef and i do follow your styles of cooking everyday may God bless you.