Salt Crusted Mini Beef Wellingtons

By á-6416

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin, cut into 20 one-inch cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter, plus one teaspoon
• 12 ounces mushrooms, chopped finely
• 1 large shallot, chopped finely
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg, beaten
• Sea salt crystals

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat to the oven to 400º F.
Bring tenderloin to room temperature for about 15 minutes. Season the cubes well with salt and pepper. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, making sure butter doesn't burn. Sear the beef on top and bottom only until a caramelized brown, about 1- 1/2 minutes per side. Move to a plate and set aside.
Make the duxelles. Working in the same pan, turn to medium heat and add the extra teaspoon of butter, then add the mushrooms and cook until slightly browned and they have released liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots and continue cooking until mushroom mixture is almost a paste, and shallots are tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Roll out each sheet of puff pastry to about 10 x 14-inches. Lengthwise, cut into four 3 1/2" wide strips then cut into even squares. Spoon about a teaspoon of mushroom mixture on the pastry squares (see pictures below). Place a tenderloin cube over each mound of mushrooms, seared sides will be on the top and bottom. Working from the corners, bring each corner of the pastry up to the top of the meat and pinch them together (see pictures below). Turn each one over and place on baking sheets seam-side down. If you wish, decorate with little pastry cut-outs of leaves, etc or leave plain.
With a pastry brush, brush the egg over the tops of each Wellington. Sprinkle with the sea salt crystals.
Bake the Wellingtons until golden brown, 15-20 minutes.