beef wellington

Or my version of it, at least, which I served last night at the Inn.

2 red onions
2 cups sliced portobello mushrooms
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup red wine
olive oil
1 egg, beaten

4 6 oz. fillets
frozen puff pastry sheets

heavy cream
butter

Slice the onions in half and then cut into thin half moon-shaped slices.Pour enough oil into a hot skillet to cover the bottom and add the onions. Cook until they begin to caramelize -- about ten minutes on medium high heat -- and add mushrooms and another tablespoon or two of oil. After mushrooms have begun to soften, add the red wine and the basil and stir. Let the mixture cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Leave in the skillet and set aside to cool.

Heat another skillet or a stove top grill and sear each of the fillets on all sides. Set aside to cool.

Let the puff pastry thaw and then cut each sheet in half. When the mushroom mixture is cool, put a couple of tablespoons in the center of one of the pieces of pastry and then place the fillet on top of the mushrooms. Pull two of the opposite corners of the pastry over the top of the steak and then do the same with the other two corners, making sure the pastry is well sealed. Invert the whole thing on to a baking sheet where the seams are on the bottom.

Beat the egg and paint the top of each packet before putting in the oven. Cook at 350 for about twenty minutes, or until an instant read meat thermometer reads 140 in the center, which will mean it's medium rare.

About ten minutes before the steaks are done, put the skillet with the leftover mushroom mixture back on the stove and add about a cup of heavy cream -- more if needed. Heat the sauce on medium high heat until it begins to bubble and then lower the heat a bit so it doesn't burn. Take the Wellingtons out of the oven when they are ready and let them rest for a few minutes while you add one tablespoon of butter (coated with a little flour) to the sauce and stir until it thickens a bit.

Cut each Wellington in half and put it on the plate and then pour the sauce over it.

I know this sounds like it takes awhile, but it's worth the trouble.
Serves 4.

Peace,
Milton