Beef En Croute with Coriander Walnut Filling

By klodge76

From Gourmet magazine, December 1997

Ingredients

• For the beef:
• a trimmed 4 1/2- to 5-pound beef tenderloin roast (about 16 inches long and 3 inches in diameter)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• For the coriander walnut filling:
• 2 cups walnuts
• 4 garlic cloves
• two 3/4-pound bunches spinach
• 3 cups packed fresh coriander sprigs
• 2 cups packed fresh flat-leafed parsley sprigs
• 1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• For the pastry dough:
• 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) cold unsalted butter
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups well-chilled sour cream
• 4 to 6 tablespoons ice water

Preparation

Step 1

For the Coriander Walnut filling:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a baking pan toast walnuts in one layer in middle of oven 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly colored, and cool completely. Mince garlic and discard stems from spinach.

3. Have ready a large bowl of ice and cold water. In a 3-quart kettle half filled with boiling salted water blanch spinach 20 seconds and with a slotted skimmer transfer to ice water to stop cooking. Return water to a boil and blanch fresh coriander and parsley 5 seconds. Drain herbs in a colander and transfer to ice water to stop cooking. Drain spinach and herbs in colander and squeeze in small handfuls until as dry as possible.

4. In a food processor pulse walnuts just until finely ground. Add garlic, spinach mixture, and remaining ingredients and pulse just until smooth. (Filling may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.)

For the pastry dough:
1. Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes.

2. To blend by hand:
In a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender blend together flour, butter, and salt until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with remainder in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Stir in sour cream with a fork just until incorporated. Drizzle 4 tablespoons ice water over mixture and gently stir just until incorporated. Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful: When it has proper texture it should hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary, add enough remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until incorporated and testing, to give mixture proper texture. (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)

To blend in a food processor:
In a food processor pulse together flour, butter, and salt until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with remainder in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Add sour cream and pulse just until incorporated. Drizzle 4 tablespoons water over mixture and pulse just until incorporated. Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful: When it has proper texture it should hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary, add enough remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until incorporated and testing, to give mixture proper texture. (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)

To form dough after blending by either method:
Turn mixture out onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of hand smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together and form it, rotating it on work surface, into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour, and up to 1 day.


For the beef:
1. Trim tenderloin if necessary and pat dry. Halve tenderloin crosswise and season with salt and pepper.

2. In a large heavy skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until just smoking and brown beef, 1 piece at a time, on all sides, about 2 minutes total for each piece of beef, transferring to a platter.

3. Make an egg wash by lightly beating egg with water. On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out dough into a 19- by 15-inch rectangle (slightly less than 1/4 inch thick). Cut a 1-inch strip of dough from a shorter end (leaving an 18- by 15-inch rectangle) and reserve strip. Arrange rectangle lengthwise on a baking sheet or tray (about 17 1/2 by 12 1/2 inches), letting excess hang over.

4. Spread one third filling lengthwise down middle of rectangle, forming a 16- by 2-inch strip. Arrange beef pieces end to end lengthwise on filling and spread remaining filling on top of beef. Brush edges of dough with some egg wash. Fold up long sides of dough to enclose beef completely and seal edge. Fold ends of dough over wrapped beef and seal edges. Invert a large baking sheet onto wrapped beef and invert beef onto sheet so that pastry is seam side down. Brush crust evenly with some egg wash. Cut out holly leaves and berries from reserved pastry strip and arrange on crust, gently pressing to make them adhere. Brush decorations with some egg wash and with a sharp knife make small steam vents every 3 inches on top of crust.

5. Chill beef en croûte, loosely covered, at least 1 hour and up to 6.

6. Preheat oven to 400°F.
Bake beef en croûte in middle of oven 45 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and a thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into center of beef registers 115°F. Let beef stand on sheet on a rack 25 minutes. Beef will continue to cook as it stands, reaching 125°F. (medium-rare).