Chef Troi's Beef Wellington

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Chef Troi shows you how to make Beef Wellington for two. Watch the clip of this week's appearance on Fox 40 Live, and follow the recipe below. You are on your way to a romantic dinner for two in no time!

Beef Wellington
~ serves 2~

13 oz Beef Tenderloin
4 teaspoons Butter
1/3 Onion, chopped
4 oz Assorted Mushrooms, such as button, Porcini, Chanterelle and/or Crimini, chopped finely for Duxelle
2 sprigs fresh Thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/3 can beef broth
4 teaspoons Maderia, or brandy

Preheat oven to 425°

Prepare mushroom duxelle. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and mushrooms in butter, seasoning with fresh thyme and pepper. (Do not season with salt at this point.) Sauté for 5- 7 minutes, and then deglaze the pan with half of the Madeira wine or brandy. Continue to cook until all liquid has evaporated, an additional 5-10 minutes. When all liquid has gone from pan, season with salt.

While mushrooms are cooking, sear the tenderloin in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Rotate the tenderloin until it is seared and brown on every side, about 2 minutes per side. Remove beef from pan and reserve drippings.

Roll out the puff pastry dough on a floured surface. Set tenderloin in the middle of dough, and top with mushroom duxelle. Wrap dough completely around tenderloin until the beef is completely enclosed with dough. Use some of the beaten egg white as"glue" for any loose edges. Brush the egg wash over the rest of the dough.

* Optional: Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes from leftover pastry dough. Attach the dough shapes to the top of the Beef Wellington with egg wash mixture. Alternately, shape your Beef Wellington into a shape like a heart.

Cut a few slits into the top of your Wellington, then place in 425° oven for 10 minutes, until pastry is a rich, golden brown for medium rare. Set aside, and keep warm by tenting with aluminum foil. While meat is resting, prepare sauce.

Add the remaining Madeira wine or brandy to the reserved juices in your sauté pan on medium heat. Scrape up any brown bits from bottom of pan, and add beef broth. Bring to a boil, and cook for 10-15 minutes until slightly reduced. Serve sauce with beef.

This recipe can be doubled for 4 servings.