Beef Wellington for 2

by Stella Zedman

Prepare the Beef Wellingtons ahead of time and you'll have enough time to change into something more comfortable before you sit down to dinner. Just the two of you.

Ingredients

3 tbsp. (45 mL) butter, divided

1/3 cup (75 mL) minced shallot or red onion

1-1/2 cups (375 mL) coarsely chopped mushrooms

1/4 cup (50 mL) red wine

2 beef tenderloin steaks - 4 oz. (113 g) each, cut 1 inch (2 cm) thick salt and pepper to taste

1/2 pkg. frozen puff pastry dough, thawed

1 egg

1 tbsp. (15 mL) water

Cooking Instructions

Melt 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and cook, stirring, just until softened - about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until mushroom liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms have started to brown. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it has evaporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl.

Add the remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) of butter to the skillet and increase the heat to high. As soon as the butter has melted, add the steaks to the pan, sprinkling them with salt and pepper and quickly sear both sides until browned - about 1 minute per side. Remove steaks from pan immediately. Let cool.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the block of puff pastry dough out to a 12-inch (30 cm) square. Cut the square in half, then cut one of two halves in half again (reserve the remaining half of the dough).

Beat together the egg and the water and brush lightly over the surface of the two small squares of dough. On each square, spoon half of the mushroom mixture and top with one steak. Pull the corners of the dough up and over to wrap the whole thing up like a package - seal up any openings by pinching and folding them together. Turn over and arrange on a baking pan. Brush with egg mixture. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut shapes out of the reserved pastry dough to decorate the top of each packet and brush with egg wash.

You can prepare the Wellingtons to this point as much as 3 or 4 hours before you want to serve them. Refrigerate, covered until about one hour before you want to begin baking.

Remove Wellingtons from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking to allow them to come to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Place Wellingtons in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until puffed and golden. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

Grilled Peppercorn Steaks

6

beef T- bone steaks, 1 inch thick (about 1 1/2 pounds)

3

cloves garlic, cut in half

1 1/2

tablespoons black peppercorns, crushed

1/3

cup butter or margarine, softened

1 1/2

tablespoons Dijon mustard

3/4

teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4

teaspoon lime juice

Salt and pepper, if desired

Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat. Trim fat on beef steaks to 1/4-inch thickness. Rub garlic on beef. Press peppercorns into beef. In small bowl, mix remaining ingredients except salt and pepper; set aside.

Cover and grill beef 4 to 5 inches from medium heat 10 to 14 minutes or until of

desired doneness, turning once. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with butter mixture.

6	beef T- bone steaks, 1 inch thick (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3	cloves garlic, cut in half
1 1/2	tablespoons black peppercorns, crushed
1/3	cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2	tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4	teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4	teaspoon lime juice
	Salt and pepper, if desired

	Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat. Trim fat on beef steaks to 1/4-inch thickness. Rub garlic on beef. Press peppercorns into beef. In small bowl, mix remaining ingredients except salt and pepper; set aside.
	Cover and grill beef 4 to 5 inches from medium heat 10 to 14 minutes or until of desired doneness, turning once. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with butter mixture.