Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1½ pounds mushrooms
  • such as maitake and crimini or any mix you prefer
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 2 large shallots
  • finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup dry sherry
  • 4 center-cut filet mignon steaks
  • 2½ inches thick
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil or non-aerosol neutral cooking spray
  • 2 ounces brandy
  • 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • One 14-oz package of puff pastry (Rach likes Dufour)
  • defrosted for 2 hours in fridge before using
  • A small handful or scoop of flour
  • to roll dough
  • One 8-ounce terrine or slab of peppercorn mousse pate or truffle mousse pate
  • 1 egg and about 2 teaspoons water
  • for egg wash

Instruction

  • Clean mushrooms with damp cloth, stem and chop about ¼ inch
  • For the duxelles, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt butter to foam
  • Add mushrooms and brown until fragrant and volume reduces by about half, then add shallots, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, and stir until shallots are softened, 3 minutes
  • Add sherry and let it absorb fully, then remove from heat and cool mixture in shallow bowl or on a tray
  • Bring meat to room temp and pat dry
  • Gently press down each steak to spread surface area a bit, leaving steaks 2 to 2¼ inches thick, and season with salt and pepper
  • Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over high, add oil and brush or wipe it around the pan or spray with non-aerosol cooking spray)
  • Add meat to pan, reduce heat to medium-high and cook to develop a crust on the meat, but not to cook through; it should remain very rare, 1½ to 2 minutes on first side, 1 on opposite
  • Turn off heat, add brandy and let it absorb, turning meat in it
  • Remove meat to a plate
  • Let cool completely, 10 to 15 minutes, then add about 1 teaspoon mustard to each steak and spread to coat only the top side
  • Preheat oven to 400˚F, with rack at center
  • Roll out dough a bit on floured surface and cut into 4 portions
  • Lightly roll out each puff pastry rectangle 3 to 4 times with a rolling pin until each rectangle is an even thickness (about 1/8 inch thick)
  • Leave a border on each piece of dough and spread each piece with a centered layer of about 2 ounces mousse pate (do not press, just gently spread)
  • Top with about one-fourth of cooled duxelles and center a steak, mustard-side down, on the mushrooms
  • Wrap and trim the pastry, then use egg wash to seal; flip and brush with more egg wash
  • Scraps can be used to make decorations to apply to crust if you have the patience for it
  • Arrange Wellingtons on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until golden