Beef Wellington: A Phenomenal Dish with a Mysterious History
We can smell the herbs, mushrooms, and shallots as we wrote this blog. We've all heard about Beef Wellington, Right? Who hasn’t? It is a classic dish that has been adored by thousands of food connoisseurs around the world.
With such rich flavors, it surely has a rich history. So we did some digging. And after hours of scrolling through websites, papers, and books, we found that the history of this classic dish is a little murky. According to some, in June 1815, the iconic Arthur Wellesly defeated Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo. It is believed that the pastry ensconced beef dish was named after him to celebrate his victory and him being named the first Duke of Wellington.
But, the dish was not known in Arthur Wellesley's life, so the origins of beef Wellington continue to remain a blur.
Some thought it was named after a Wellington Boot since it has some resemblance in shape after the dish is cooked, hence the name. Yet, some believed that wrapping meat in pastry has been a favored culinary technique in France and Greece for centuries. In fact in the 14th Century, the Greeks were the first to wrap pastry around their meat before cooking. And according to some, Beef Wellington resembles the French filet de boeuf en croute and may well have been renamed the Beef Wellington after the Battle of Waterloo – rather than a dish created explicitly for the Duke of Wellington.
But whatever country it came from and whoever it was who invented this infamously scrumptious dish, we definitely owe it to them. This phenomenal dish is a crowd favorite. Come on, who doesn't want to slice into that juicy and tender sirloin tucked inside a flaky puff crust. It's a dish that graced tables of many homes and restaurants worldwide, and for sure will continue to bless our tables on any occasion.
Since we're already drooling over this dish, we thought of adding a Truffle Shuffle twist to the classic Beef Wellington. On Sunday, August 22nd, at 3pm PST, Chef Tyler will be hosting a step-by-step walkthrough of making the world's famous Beef Wellington in an extended 2 and a half hour class. Yes, two and a half hours of learning and mastering the culinary techniques of making the ultimate Beef Wellington. To top it off, we'll also be showing everyone how to enjoy this dish with Sarah's original Candy Cap Manhattan that you'll enjoy serving on almost every occasion. So, what are you waiting for, book the experience now!
2 ounces button mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons Madeira
Directions 📝
To Make the Mushroom Duxelle
In a large saute pan over high heat, stir together the mushrooms and shallots until the mushrooms release their liquid. When the liquid reduces, remove from heat and season with Balinese Truffle Salt and sherry vinegar to taste.
To Make the Truffle Jus
In a medium pot on high heat, bring the beef broth to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer until about ½ cup of liquid remains that’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped Black Truffle Carpaccio. Season with Balinese Truffle Salt to taste.
To Make the Wellington
Preheat your oven to 375F.
Heat a cast iron pan over high heat.
Season the beef on all sides with the Balinese Truffle Salt. Add the canola oil. When the oil is hot, quickly sear on all sides to form a seal.
Transfer to a plate and brush with mustard. Set aside in your refrigerator.
Remove 1 tablespoon of egg and set aside for egg wash. Remove ¼ cup of flour and set aside for bench flour.
To make the beurre monte, bring 1 tablespoon of water to a boil in a small sauce pot over high heat. Once boiling, remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons of butter to emulsify.
To make the crepe batter, whisk together the milk and remaining egg in a large mixing bowl until combined.
Very slowly whisk in the flour, excluding the ¼ cup of bench flour. Whisk in the beurre monte and season with a pinch of Balinese Truffle Salt.
Stir half of the sliced chives into the crepe batter, setting aside the remaining half for garnish.
To make the crepes, heat a 10” non-stick pan over medium heat.
Melt a small amount of butter in the hot pan. When the butter starts to sizzle, add one ladle of crepe batter and swirl to yield a very thin crepe. Continue cooking over medium-low heat until the crepe is set.
Flip and repeat, setting aside the remaining crepes on a plate!! You will need 3-4 crepes for this recipe.
Remove the puff pastry from your refrigerator and set aside to temper. Line a sheet tray with aluminum foil and spray with pan spray.
Place two layers of plastic wrap onto a large cutting board, ensuring the plastic is at least 18 inches wide.
Trim and lay the crepes onto the plastic wrap. Spread the mushroom duxelle evenly across the crepes.
Remove the beef from your refrigerator and set in the center of the crepes.
Wrap the crepes around the Wellington and form into a tight log. Place in your refrigerator.
Use the bench flour to flour your countertop and place the puff pastry on top.
Roll out the puff pastry until it’s about ¼ inch thick.
Remove the Wellington from your refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap, and place in the center of the puff pastry. Brush the edges with the reserved egg wash and roll the Wellington in the puff pastry.
Trim, fold, and transfer to the foil-lined, greased sheet tray, seam side-down. Score, brush with egg wash, and trim with the scissors.
Transfer to your oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating halfway through.
In a small pot over medium-high heat, melt a small amount of butter. Once foamy, add the sliced mushrooms and a small pinch of Balinese Truffle Salt and cook until caramelized.
Deglaze the pan with the Madeira and cook until au sec.
Add the Truffle Jus, bring to a simmer, and turn off the heat. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
Once the Wellington is cooked through, set aside to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Use a serrated knife to carve thick portions of your beautiful Wellington.
Reheat the mushroom sauce and spoon over the Wellington. Finish with the sliced chives and Balinese Truffle Salt. Enjoy the classic culinary masterpiece that you made in your own kitchen!
Note from the Chef 👩🍳
Want to take your dishes to next level with a step-by-step video instruction? We have on demand classes that feature dishes you never knew you could make at home. Click here! Interested in a private event with truffle shuffle? Click here to learn more.
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