Individual Beef Wellington (Printer-friendly)

Tender beef medallions wrapped in puff pastry with mushroom duxelles and prosciutto; elegant individual servings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 6 (2-3 oz / 60-85 g each) beef filet medallions, about 1.5 inches thick
02 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Mushroom Duxelles

03 - 8 oz (225 g) cremini or button mushrooms, finely chopped
04 - 1 small shallot, finely minced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
08 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Assembly

09 - 1 sheet (about 14 oz / 400 g) all-butter puff pastry, thawed if frozen
10 - 3 oz (85 g) prosciutto, thinly sliced
11 - 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
12 - Flour, for dusting

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Season the beef medallions generously with salt and pepper.
03 - Heat a skillet over high heat and sear the medallions for 1 minute per side until browned but still rare inside. Transfer to a plate to cool completely.
04 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook until all moisture evaporates and mixture is dry, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.
05 - On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry to 1/8-inch (3 mm) thickness. Cut into 6 squares large enough to enclose each medallion.
06 - Lay a slice of prosciutto on each puff pastry square. Spread a spoonful of mushroom duxelles over the prosciutto.
07 - Place a cooled beef medallion on top. Fold the pastry up and over the beef, sealing well and trimming excess dough. Place seam-side down on the baking sheet.
08 - Brush each parcel with beaten egg. Use pastry scraps to decorate, if desired, and brush decorations with egg wash as well.
09 - Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and crisp. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can impress your guests with little effort — the puff pastry will do most of the talking.
  • They’re as satisfying to assemble as they are to eat, and leftovers actually taste even better cold.
02 -
  • Once, I learned the hard way that warm duxelles will melt your pastry before it bakes — patience is key: let it cool.
  • The difference between okay and wow was chilling the wrapped parcels for ten minutes before baking so the pastry stays flaky.
03 -
  • If your pastry starts to brown too quickly, tent it with foil for the last five minutes.
  • A digital thermometer takes the guesswork out of getting the beef just how you like it — shoot for 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare.
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