Kenwood Christmas Menu: The Main Event ~ Beef Wellington (Boeuf en Croute) Recipe
Kenwood Christmas Menu:
~ The Main Event ~
Beef Wellington (Boeuf en Croute) Recipe
Kenwood Christmas Menu: The Main Event ~ Beef Wellington (Boeuf en Croute) Recipe
Over the last three weeks, myself and four other lucky food bloggers (Beth, Sian, Becs and Eliza) have been part of the Kenwood Christmas Menu challenge; we all received a Kenwood Titanium Chef in order to create a special Christmas menu. I can’t believe that this is last challenge post for this wonderful event, and I have enjoyed every minute getting to know my fabulous Kenwood Chef over the last few weeks. I have made bread in it at least TEN times, I have diced, chopped, blended and mixed! I have beaten, whisked, sliced and shredded, and I am totally in love with it – it has cut my preparation time down by at least HALF in the kitchen. It’s not just because I received this fabulous machine for free that I am saying this, it is without doubt the BEST kitchen appliance I have used, on the mixer and food processor front that is……I have had a food processor in the past, and also hand mixers too, but, I have never owned a stand mixer with attachments, and I am very impressed with the sturdiness and quality of the mixer, as well as it’s shiny good looks! I am now going to come clean and tell you what I did to it two weeks ago; whilst making meringues for my Mini Clementine and Pomegranate Pavlovas, I tried to add more egg whites to the machine as I realised that my eggs were too small, so more whites were needed – the machine was on low and just whisking them all nicely, so using an egg separator I tried to add them via the opening lid on the splatter cover as it was mixing………and the egg separator FELL IN! OMG! I watched in horror for a few seconds as my plastic egg separator flew around the bowl before I woke up and turned the machine off! Everything was okay though, even the egg separator was in one piece, the balloon whisk was okay, the bowl was okay and my machine was just fine! It MUST be a sturdy piece of kit is all I can say……..and I have continued to use it with no problems since then.
Beef Wellington (Boeuf en Croute) Recipe
Over the last few weeks I have concocted and created several recipes, and the themes of the Kenwood Christmas Menu are as follows:
The Kenwood Christmas Menu:
Nov 19th: “Getting Ready”
Christmas Pudding Chocolate Spread and Spiced Quince & Cranberry Chutney
Nov 26th: “Preparing the pud”
Sweet Endings with Pomegranates, Pudding and Pavlova
Dec 3rd: “All the trimmings”
Spiced Red Cabbage with Apples
Dec 10th: “The main event”
Beef Wellington (Boeuf en Croute)
My last post today is all about the main event – whether it be a turkey, goose or a nut roast. It’s all about the big meal on the big day, and although I am a turkey fan, as well as chicken, goose, duck, Guinea fowl etc. I decided to put my Kenwood to good use and make a Beef Wellington (Boeuf en Croute); I used the food processor for the mushrooms and the mixer for my pastry. (I will share the recipe for that later, when I get to take some step-by-step photos) I also served this magnificent dinner with some of my Spiced Red Cabbage with Apples, which meant I used my shredder and slicer attachment in the food processor again. A Beef Wellington takes time to prepare, the cooking is only about 30 to 45 minutes before serving, but the preparation is time-consuming, however, it is WELL worth it. I decided to share a Beef Wellington recipe for my main event as beef is so expensive now, a real luxury, but if you manage to buy a lovely British beef fillet it is perfect for that special celebration meal. I have to fess up here, as the Americans say, as I am not a huge lover of red meat – I like it little and not too often, but a beef fillet cooked this way is fabulous, and the wild mushroom duxelles that covers the beef as well as the buttery puff pastry is the icing on the cake, in a beefy way!
Beef Wellington (Boeuf en Croute) Recipe
I was DELIGHTED with the results of my Beef Wellington – it was perfectly cooked, medium-rare and the pastry was beautifully crisp as well as being buttery and flaky. I prefer my meat slightly less pink, but my husband and our guests said it was fabulous and they all enjoyed it immensely. I served it with spiced red cabbage, sprouts, parsnips, carrots, scalloped potatoes, red wine gravy and some home-made redcurrant jelly.
Beef Wellington (Boeuf en Croute) Recipe
I think this is a stunning recipe to end my Kenwood Christmas Menu challenge on and once again I would like to thank Kenwood, Jade and Tom for asking me to take part in this creative and fun event, with a VERY big thanks for the best Christmas present I have had too, that’s my Kenwood Titanium Chef! I hope all my readers have enjoyed the last three weeks, and that you have been inspired by the recipes I have created and shared here. The recipe for my Beef Wellington (Boeuf en Croute) is below and I think that it would make a STUNNING alternative to turkey for the main event! Have a wonderful week, not long now, just 2 weeks to go……..go on, have a mince pie and a glass of sherry, you’re worth it! Karen
Beef Wellington (Boeuf en Croute) Recipe
Beef Wellington (Boeuf en Croute)
Print recipe
| Serves | 6 to 8 |
| Prep time | 1 hour |
| Cook time | 1 hour |
| Total time | 2 hours |
| Allergy | Egg, Wheat |
| Meal type | Main Dish |
| Misc | Freezable, Gourmet, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold, Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Birthday Party, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter, Formal Party, Thanksgiving, Valentines day |
| Region | British |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- Beef fillet (preferably Aberdeen Angus) of around 1kg to 1.2kg
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 300g mushrooms (I used a mix of chestnut, morels, ceps and assorted wild mushrooms)
- 50g butter
- 1 large sprig fresh thyme
- 100ml dry vermouth
- 16 slices prosciutto ham (or Parma, Bayonne ham)
- 500g/1lb 2oz pack puff pastry , thawed if frozen (or home-made)
- Flour , for dusting
- 1 large free-range egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water
- Freshly ground black pepper
Note
This stunning recipe makes a real celebratory centre piece for any dinner party or special family gathering. Use only the best beef fillet and if you cannot get hold of prosciutto ham, use streaky bacon or pancetta instead. I like to add a few dried mushrooms to the duxelles mixture sometimes, just drop them in half way through cooking, for a wonderful essence of mushroom flavour. Duxelles can also include shallots, I have left them out in this recipe, as I think the mushrooms work best by themselves with prime beef fillet. (Duxelles is said to have been created by the 17th-century French chef François Pierre La Varenne (1615–1678) and to have been named after his employer, Nicolas Chalon du Blé, marquis d'Uxelles, maréchal de France.)
Directions
| Step 1 | Heat oven to 220C/Gas Mark 7. Place the beef fillet in a roasting tray, brush with 1 tbsp olive oil and season well with freshly ground black pepper, then roast for 15 minutes for medium-rare or 20 minutes for medium. When the beef is cooked to your liking, remove from the oven to cool, then chill in the fridge for about 20 to 30 minutes. |
| Step 2 | While the beef is cooling, chop the mushrooms as finely as possible - I used my Kenwood Titanium Chef for this in the food processor, but be careful, just pulse for a few seconds otherwise they will become purée. |
| Step 3 | Heat the remaining olive oil with the butter in a large frying pan and fry the mushrooms over a medium heat with the fresh thyme for about 10 minutes, stirring them often to make sure they don’t stick, until they are soft. Season the mushrooms with a little salt and black pepper and then pour over the dry white wine and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until all the wine has been absorbed in the mushrooms. Remove the mushroom “duxelles” from the pan to cool and discard the thyme. |
| Step 4 |
 Place two pieces of cling film on a large chopping board, so they overlap slightly to create a larger size of cling film. Lay the slices of prosciutto (or Parma/Bayonne ham) on the cling film, slightly overlapping, in a double row. Spread half the mushroom duxelles over the prosciutto and then place the fillet on top of the ham and mushrooms, and then spread the remaining duxelles over the beef fillet. Use the cling film's edges to draw the prosciutto around the fillet, before rolling it into a sausage shape, twisting the ends of cling film to tighten it as you go. Chill the fillet while you roll out the pastry. |
| Step 5 | Dust the work surface with a little flour. Roll out a third of the pack of puff pastry to a strip that is as long as the beef fillet with a little overlap and then place it on a non-stick baking sheet. Roll out the remainder of the puff pastry, so that it completely covers the whole of the beef fillet with enough pastry to make a thick crust that can be crimped around the edges. |
| Step 6 |
 Next, unroll the fillet from the cling film and sit it in the centre of the smaller strip of pastry. Brush the edges of the pastry with some beaten egg, and then the top and sides of the wrapped fillet. Using a rolling pin, carefully lift and drape the larger piece of pastry over the fillet, pressing well into the sides. Trim the joins to a thick crimp, of about 5mm. Seal the edges with the edge of a fork or butter knife. Glaze with more egg yolk all over the pastry, and then lightly score the beef Wellington with long diagonal lines taking care not to cut into the pastry. Using the offcuts of pastry, add leaves for decoration, attach them with egg yolk and don’t forget to glaze them with more beaten egg afterwards. Chill for up to 12 hours, and a minimum of 1 hour. |
| Step 7 |
 When you are ready to cook the Beef Wellington, pre-heat oven to 200C/Gas Mark 6. Brush the Wellington with a little more egg yolk and cook until golden and crisp; 25 minutes for medium-rare, 30 minutes for medium and 35 to 40 minutes for medium well. Allow to stand for at least 10 minutes before serving in thick slices with seasonal vegetables and potatoes. |
What’s in a name?
The origin of the name is unclear. Some theories suggest beef Wellington is named after Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington; other theories go a step further and suggest this was due to his love of a dish of beef, truffles, mushrooms, Madeira wine, and pâté cooked in pastry, but with a noted lack of evidence to support this.Other accounts simply credit the name to a patriotic chef wanting to give an English name to a variation on the French filet de bœuf en croûte during the Napoleonic Wars. Still another theory is the dish is not named after the Duke himself, but rather the finished filet was thought to resemble one of the brown shiny military boots which were named after him. Clarissa Dickson Wright, celebrity chef and co-host of the BBC cooking show Two Fat Ladies, maintains that the dish “has nothing to do with that splendid hero, the Duke of Wellington; it was invented for a civic reception in Wellington, New Zealand, but it is a splendid addition to any party.”
“Wellington” is sometimes informally used to describe other dishes in which meat is baked in a puff pastry; the most common variations are sausage Wellington, lamb Wellington and salmon Wellington.
~ Sponsored Post ~
(I received a Kenwood Titanium Chef in order to create recipes as part of the Kenwood Christmas Menu Blogger Challenge)
Beef Wellington
Day Ten on the Advent Calender:
10th December:
Snowflake Mince Pies
I am entering this British Classic into the Best of British – sponsored by New World Appliances and hosted by the delectable Fiona over at London Unattached!
Kenwood Christmas Menu Posts:
Becs @ Lay the table says
Karen your beef looks incredible – perfectly cooked! The pastry is very neat on yours, much better than mine. Looks like you’ve loved your Kenwood Chef as much as I have – I made meringue in it after you gave it such a good review with your pavlovas and you were right, it was great! Have had so much fun reading all your posts and everyone elses!
Karen Booth says
Thanks Becs, as it happens I am not a big beef eater, but, I did enjoy this! (Notice I took the well cooked end piece for my plate!) The balloon whisk for meringues is JUST brilliant isn’t it? Thanks again and Happy Christmas! Karen
Dominic says
I am so completely in love with your wellington… i’m still a little unsure of what I’m going to cook for the big day and it waivers between turkey and beef wellington but I think your amazing recipe and photo’s may have just swung it… fabulous post and I love your ‘what’s in a name’ bits too… always great to learn xx
Karen Booth says
Thanks Dom! I was REALLY pleased with the way it turned out, and also how quick my Kenwood was at whizzing all the mushrooms, as well as pulsing the pastry too! We LOVE turkey, but having made this, I think I may be making this again if not for Christmas day, then for New Year’s Eve or day! Karen xx
Lynne Clark (@josordoni) says
you cannot know HOW jealous of your new Titanium I am! I am considering it as an Xmas pressie for myself, like you, I’ve never had a stand mixer, and kneading soft brioche doughs is doing no end of damage to my shoulders.
So you would say this was a good model?
Lynne
x
Karen Booth says
Hi Lynne!
I am a VERY lucky girl I know and all I can say is that it is a FABULOUS mixer, and I would NOT consider any other brand for a stand mixer with blender and processor attachments. Why? Because of the following points:
1) Sturdiness – it is VERY sturdy and top quality, easy to move though, not by lifting, but by sliding along the work surface.
2) The dough hook is worth it’s weight in gold, if like me, you are an avid bread maker. I have made ALL my breads and brioche this way since I got it 3 weeks ago…….it’s brilliant!
3) Design – BANG on! NO unneccessary LED diplays, just good solid and reliable mechanics with a very good mixing method that Kenwood are famous for.
4) This model delivers all I need – I WILL treat myself to a sausage maker and a pasta maker, but the 4 mixing attachments, and the blender (GLASS not plastic!) and the food processor with EIGHT blades fulfils all my daily and weekly cooking and baking requirements!
All I can say is if you can afford one, this is stand mixer for you! And NO they did not pay me to say that – I LOVE it!
Karen 🙂
Lynne Clark (@josordoni) says
Thanks Karen, it is so tempting!! I will have to redesign the kitchen and move the microwave out into the utility room in the cold… brrrrr… BUT… I WANT this!!
So next question is, it is 33% off at Amazon now. Is that the best it will be this year, or should I wait for the sales?? It is a BIG investment, and will mean a lot of cut corners, but I think it is better than going for the Classic which is a great price but not as strong.
I am SO useless at decisions. I have been pondering this for over a month now 🙁
Karen Booth says
I don’t think you will get it any cheaper than that Lynne, and things like this seldom make it into the sales, well if they do, I doubt it will be as much as Amazon’s amazing deal…..if this had not been sent to me, I would have bought one from Amazon, my husband and I discussed a stand mixer for me as I am so busy in the kitchen with recipe development etc. For me it is a life time’s investment, and my mum STILL has hers from the 60’s! Karen
Eliza says
I adore how beautiful this looks – the pastry is perfection. I would be delighted if this adorned my table at Christmas!
Karen Booth says
Thanks Eliza, it DID turn out much better than I expected! And it did taste wonderful too.
Eliza says
Just wanted to add how fabulous it was taking part in the Kenwood Christmas menu with you. Truly an inspiration.
Karen Booth says
Aw thanks so much Eliza, likewise, it has been a joy to visit you and see what you have come up with……this has been an amazing challenge and I have enjoyed how we have all worked as a team! Happy Christmas! Karen
Sarah, Maison Cupcake says
That is one serious looking Welly. I best not let my husband see it else he’ll be inviting himself round for dinner again!
Karen Booth says
Thanks Sarah – how nice to see you over here too! This recipe went down a storm with my guests and Malcolm too of course……Karen
Ren Behan says
Wow, you could certainly feed a crowd with that! It looks perfectly cooked, what a glorious centre piece to any table, too. I love the pink beef and all the trimmings too!
Karen Booth says
It feeds up to 8 people Ren, and fed the 6 of us with ease, and we of course had delicious leftovers! Karen
KIT says
This is one of my must try & cook list. Never cook a boeuf en croute before & yours look so delicious & very gourmet! LOVE it & I must try this ASAP!
Fishfingers for tea says
Karen, your Wellington looks perfect! I’m now wondering if I should change our menu!
It’s been a pleasure working with you on this and I’m as much in love with my Chef as you are with yours! I went from using a bowl and wooden spoon for most things to having this amazing bit of kit! Merry Christmas lovely and best wishes for the new year x
Tracy Nixon says
I first tried beef wellington at my sister’s wedding and loved it! I have eaten it since at a few restaurants but never tried to cook it myself. Thing is – I love my beef well done, my dad likes it, rare and my mum likes it medium – so it is knowing where to draw the line when cooking lol!
Karen Booth says
It makes a GREAT centrepiece meal and would make a great alternative to turkey for Christmas.
Jacqueline @How to be a Gourmand says
Wow Karen what a stunning dish and a fabulous alternative to turkey at Christmas. I’m a huge fan of Beef Wellington and your version ticks all the boxes. I’m sure your dinner guests would have been very happy 🙂
Karen Booth says
THANKS very much Jacqueline! It is time consuming to make but well worth it! Karen
ashleigh says
Love beef wellington and this looks absolutely amazing!
Emma Farrell says
We had turkey for Christmas but I really want to try this recipe and make it at the end of the month to celebrate surviving January!
Alan C says
The wellington looks amazing!
Karen Booth says
Thanks Alan, it is a distant memory now, but I remember it was delicious!
Maya Russell says
I like beef less pink too. The recipe is good, something worth trying one day.
Carly says
This looks delicious! Definitely going to save this and try it out 🙂
Fiona Matters says
I so want to make beef wellington – have to master gluten free puff pastry first though! I have made passable sausage rolls so I’m getting there at least!
John Tingay says
This looks fantastic – and I bet it tastes as good as it looks. I will have to give this a try.
Vanessa Booles says
This looks soooo tasty. Def gonna have to try this.
What can I substitute the mushrooms with as my partner hates everything mushroom…
Thanks
Sally Carter says
Your Beef Wellington looks fantastic – I will be trying out your recipe soon. Thanks !
Rebecca Phillips says
i’ve never had a beef wellington before but your photos are making my mouth water. i think i definitely need to taste it!
Stevie Fairbairn says
I’ve been looking around the site for a steak and ale pie then I came across this this lovely looking welly dinner. I’m not sure if I have the confidence to make it yet, maybe I could try some smaller ones.
Karen Booth says
Do try! It is not that hard and so impressive when served!
Beverley says
Wow! I’m looking for something impressive for my wedding anniversary dinner next week and this is definitely on the shortlist!
David Price says
The beef looks amazing- I would love to cook this.
Lisa Williams says
this looks beautiful the beef is so wonderfully cooked 🙂