Working yesterday so got a head start on dinner.

I still had half of the puff pastry left from when I made the Lobster Newburg.

So made individual Beef Wellingtons.

I seared the beef tenderloin steaks and made a mushroom duxelle.

Immediately after searing I placed the steaks in the freezer to quickly stop them from continuing

to cook. And when the mushroom duxelle was cooked, I put it in the freezer to cool off quickly because I wanted to assemble the Wellingtons and I needed the Duxelles to be cold.

When I got home from work I just had to make the wine sauce,

the vegetables and bake the Wellingtons.

I didn’t really follow a recipe. I love mushroom duxelle and use it in a number of recipes.

Basically, saute a shallot in butter, add crimini mushrooms that have been pulsed in a food processor. Saute until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with a little tarragon, salt and pepper and and refrigerate to cool completely.

For the wine sauce, I sauted chopped shallots in a little olive oil and butter. When they started to turn colour, I added half a cup of red wine and simmered until it had reduced to just a tablespoon, added beef broth, a squirt of tomato paste (less than a tablespoon), one cracked garlic clove, salt and pepper and simmered until reduced and slightly thickened. If you like a thicker sauce add a little cornstarch mixed with beef broth.

Roll out puff pastry. Rather than a square I made a longer rectangle. Spread mushroom duxelle on the bottom third of the pastry. Top with beef and if you have more duxelle place on top. Brush edges with egg wash. Fold the remaining pastry over steaks and seal edges. Cut off corners of excess pastry on three sides to form almost a round, and using a fork press to seal. Roll out leftover bits of pastry and cut out decorations. Brush with egg wash. Can be made up to this point and refrigerated until ready to bake. Bake in a 425 to 450°F oven (middle rack) until pastry is golden brown. About 20 minutes. You don’t want to over cook. Beef should be rare to medium rare. I tested with a digital thermometer at 20 minutes and the meat registered 118°F. Pastry was cook so I removed it from the oven and let it rest while I finished the sides. Temperature rose to 123°F.