Ingredients

This dish is very similar to what is known as “Beef Wellington” in English. Clearly that's not a name that the French can use.

Serves 5 or 6.

quantity		ingredient		step
2 sheets		butter puff pastry (Supermarket)		1
800 g		Beef fillet (without the end parts)		2
		salt		2
		pepper		2
		oil		2
500 g		Mushrooms, for example swiss browns		3
1 or 2		shallots		3
5 g		Thyme, fresh		3
		salt		3
		pepper		3
30 g		Butter fat		4
50 ml		Noilly Prat (or dry red wine)		4
		Dijon mustard		5
5 slices		Prosciutto, thinly sliced		5
		Thread to tie fillet		5
4 small		tomatoes		7
1 g		Thyme, fresh		7
1 clove		garlic		7
		salt		7
		pepper		7
		olive oil		7
1		egg, yolk and white separated		8
500 g		green beans (use young, thin ones)		10

Preparation

1. Thaw the puff pastry.

2. Rub the beef fillet with salt and pepper, and seal it in a very hot pan in a bit of oil from all sides, as well as the ends. Count about 2 minutes for each side. This is to keep the juices inside. Set aside and allow to cool.

3. Clean the mushrooms and chop them roughly. Chop the shallots finely. Chop the thyme leaves.

4. Make Duxelles by heating about 30 g of butter fat in a pan and frying the mushrooms and shallots in it, over moderate heat, stirring from time to time. After about 5 minutes, add salt, pepper and thyme leaves, as well as the Noilly Prat. Reduce heat und cook until liquid has been absorbed. Set aside.

5. During this process, spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard over the fillet, then wrap in closely in the proscuitto slices. Secure with a few strings of thread around and put in refrigerator for about 20 minutes.

6. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, on fan.

7. Cut the tomatoes in halves, arrange in baking dish, sprinkle surfaces with salt, pepper, a bit of thyme, crushed garlic and a few drops of olive oil.

8. Cut the puff pastry sheets to size, spread the Duxelles in the middle, same length as the fillet. Place the fillet on top, after having taken off the thread, brush egg white on the edges of the pastry and wrap around the fillet, press down until well closed. Brush all over with egg yolk.

9. Bake in hot oven for about 30 to 40 minutes or until done. The fillet should still be pink inside.

10. Steam the beans and grill the tomatoes, to be ready at the same time.

11. Serve with fried potato wedges (rösti), croquettes or chips. We recommend to serve the dish with some gravy.