A flashy dish and an absolute favorite of my friend Wes, The Hungry Professor.  I try and make it for him whenever he is in town.  This dish turns any ordinary meal into an occasion.  Don’t let the multiple steps scare you off.  It is worth every second of effort. This recipe can be made using  filet or the  larger Chateaubriand or a full tenderloin.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4-eight ounce filet mignons or Chateaubriand roast
• Olive oil, for frying
• 1 pound of quality mushrooms
• Gluten Free Pie Crust (4 sheets of  puff pastry if you are not GF)
• 12 slices of Prosciutto
• Dijon mustard
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• Fresh Thyme
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.Salt and pepper the beef.

2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and bring almost to the smoke point. Quickly sear the filet on all sides.  Remove from pan and coat in Dijon mustard while hot.  Allow to rest.

3. Prepare the mushroom duxelle.  Finely chop mushrooms (do not puree) with pepper, do not salt because the prosciutto has a high salt content. Add mushrooms to a pan over medium heat and cook out the water.  Once the water is removed, add white wine 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme.  Cook about 10 minutes until reduced  to thick consistency like caviar.

4. Wrap your wellington.  Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter.    Arrange the Prosciutto side by side  on the plastic wrap.  This will wrap all the way around your beef. Spread the mushroom duxelle in a thin layer on top of the Prosciutto.  It will look like this.

Place one filet on top of the duxelle a few inches from one edge.  Place the prepared beef on the duxelle.  Align so that the long side of the Prosciutto wraps all the way around the beef.  Working from the outside edge, roll tightly.  Keep the plastic wrap on the outside of the beef roll twisting the ends to create a tight shape.  When you are done, it will look like this.

Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.

5. Wrap in pastry. On a clean piece of plastic wrap, roll the pie crust or puff pastry out to 1/4 inch thick.   Place the beef in the center of the pastry. Brush the inside with egg wash to help it seal. Tightly wrap the pastry around the beef ensuring that there are no gaps or holes.  Tightly wrap in the plastic wrap and return to the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes. It can also be done the day before and allowed to sit over night.

6. Egg wash and score.  While you wait for the pastry to chill. Make an egg wash: Add 1 Tablespoon of water to the 2 egg yolks and whisk.  Remove from plastic wrap and brush with egg wash.  Score the outside for a pretty bake.

7. Cook in a 375 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes depending on your desired temperature.  Use a meat thermometer to check the first few times.  Then you should know by touch.

8. Slice and serve.  Allow the wellington to rest for at least 10 minutes.  Cut just prior to serving.