Instructions

Trimming and Browning the Filet of Beef

Preheat oven to 425 Degrees.   Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper, set aside.

Trim beef of any excess fat.  Season all sides of beef with S&P, fresh chopped rosemary and thyme.  Pat seasonings on beef so they adhere to the meat.

On the stove, over high-heat, add the olive oil and then saute the beef on all sides just to sear the meat.  This process should only take a few minutes; you just want the outside of the meat to turn a shade darker.  Remove meat from pan, set aside on board or plate until you are ready to wrap it in the pastry.

Return the pan to the stove over medium-high heat and add olive oil and butter.  Add the thinly sliced purple onion, mushrooms and thinly sliced shallots.  Cook for a few minutes, then add the fresh rosemary, thyme and fresh cracked black pepper to taste.  Cook until mushrooms become nice and golden brown, this may take about 10 minutes or so.  Once the mushrooms are nice and browned, then add salt to season.   Stir everything together and then add the Worcestershire and Madeira Wine and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so.  Remove from heat, set aside to slightly cool.

While the mushroom mixture is cooling, roll out the pastry.  On a floured surface, unfold the pastry.  Add a little flour to the top of the pastry and to rolling pin.  Gently start to roll out the pastry.  You want the pastry big enough that you can wrap the beef up on all sides.

Chop your mushroom mixture up so that it is somewhat fine; you want to create a thick paste with it.  I chopped mine up by hand so it had texture to it.  Spread the mixture onto the pastry; you’ll want to spread this in the center of the pastry leaving all edges around the pastry without any mixture on it.  I had leftover mushroom mixture which I added to my gravy.

Place the beef onto the mushroom mixture (that is on the pastry).  Brush all the edges of the pastry with an egg.  Fold the 2 short ends onto the meat and press edges so they stick together.  Then brush all edges again and then fold the 2 long ends over the meat and gently press edges together again.  Brush the egg wash all over the outside of the pastry.

Turn the meat/pastry over (so the seams face down onto baking sheet) and bake in oven for 40 minutes.  This will give you a pink center with the edges of the meat cooked slightly more.  Remove from oven, set aside to rest for at least 5 minutes.

While the meat is cooking you can start your gravy.  In a small sauce pan, heat your beef broth (you’ll want to make sure this is nice and hot when you add to your gravy).  In a separate sauce pan, over a medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.  Add the onion and shallot and cook until onions start to become translucent.  Add the remaining mushroom mixture to the onion and stir.  Add the rosemary and thyme and stir.  Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes to make sure some of the flour cooks off.  Add the mustard and black currant jam and stir well.  Start to add the beef broth (add a small amount at a time) until you have incorporated it all into the gravy.  Turn heat to low and simmer until ready to serve. Continue to whisk/stir the gravy occasionally.

To serve, cut thick slices of the beef for each serving.  Plate with your sides and add your gravy.  I served our beef with a side of Horseradish Mashed Potatoes.