Mini Beef Wellingtons
Mini Beef Wellingtons
Do you ever find yourself obsessed with TV shows? It happens to me a lot, especially if I have the self-restraint to wait until a show is completed so I can binge watch. There’s something so satisfying about clicking next episode over and over again until you’ve reached the conclusion.
Downton Abbey is something that I’ve been holding out on because it’s just about to reach it’s sixth and final season. I so desperately wanted to wait, but I gave in to temptation and now I’m cursing myself because I absolutely need to see season six immediately. I love so many things about Downton, but what I find particularly fascinating – aside from the hair, clothes, and intrigue – is the food. I’ve always had a soft spot for English food.
Things like Cornish pasties, fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, and Yorkshire puddings are some of my favorite comfort foods. Not to mention the gloriousness that is a perfectly warm scone with clotted cream, jam, and a perfect cup of tea. It’s enough to make me swoon. So, imagine just how over the moon I am to have a chance to be going to London to see a couple of Downton Abbey locations. I’m so (so so) excited to be going to Highclere Castle (the real Downton) to have tea! I feel so fancy.
Speaking of fancy, the next time you want to impress someone with your British culinary wizardry, make these mini beef wellingtons. They’re a golden burnished brown on the outside, but on the inside they’re a perfectly medium-rare pink. The tender, juicy beef is a nice foil against the flakiness of the pastry. There’s also secret added layers of deliciousness: thinly sliced parma ham, thyme butter roasted mushrooms, and a generous amount of Grey Poupon for a bit of a kick. I served these with a bit of garlicky mashed potatoes, but they’re perfect on their own as well.
These seem a little finicky, but the truth is, they’re time consuming more than finicky. Take a couple of hours, relax and give these little guys a go. Maybe even for the Downton premier of season six?
Mini Beef Wellingtons
makes 6 individual portions
- 1 TABLESPOON BUTTER
- 1 LB MUSHROOMS, FINELY CHOPPED
- 2-3 SPRIGS FRESH THYME
- SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER
- 1 LB BEEF TENDERLOIN/FILET, CUT INTO CUBES
- SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER
- 1 TABLESPOON OIL
- 1-2 TABLESPOONS GREY POUPON DIJON MUSTARD, OR TO TASTE
- 6 SLICES PARMA HAM
- 2 SHEETS OF PUFF PASTRY, THAWED
- 1 EGG YOLK, LIGHTLY BEATEN WITH 1 TEASPOON WATER
Melt the butter over medium low heat. When melted, add the mushrooms and thyme and cook, without stirring, 5 minutes. Stir and continue to cook until all moisture has cooked out and mushrooms resemble a smooth paste. Taste and season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.While the mushrooms are cooking, pat the filet cubes dry and season withe salt and pepper. Heat oil in a cast iron pan over very high heat and sear all sides of the filet, 1 minute per side. Remove from the pan and let rest.Use a pastry brush and brush on a generous amount of dijon on to all sides of the filets.On a piece of plastic wrap, lay out a slice of prosciutto and spread a thin layer of mushrooms on. Place the filet cube in the centre and wrap the prosciutto around it. Wrap well with the plastic, making sure it is tight and held together. Chill in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.Preheat the oven to 400°F.Cut the puff pastry into strips the width of the filet packages. Unwrap the filet and place on a strip of puff pastry and bring together. Use another piece of puff pastry, placed the opposite way and bring together to encase the beef. Use a bit of water to stick pastry together.Place wellingtons seam side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush with the egg yolk wash. Using the back of a knife, lightly score in a leaf pattern and sprinkle with a bit of coarse salt.Bake the wellingtons for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and turn up the heat to 450°. Bake for another 10 minutes or until golden and puffy. Let rest and enjoy!
apple pancakes
Am I glad I spilled out my frying pan angst to you all yesterday or what? This morning (and by “morning” I think we all understand that it was 1 p.m., right?), when faced with the task of an apple pancake recipe I’ve been wanting to make for eons, the thought using that stainless steel pan was enough to make me skip it.
But since two hundred and thirty two of you (approximating, you see) suggested I get back in with cast iron, I decided to give it another shot. I’ve had a big (and omg, so heavy!) 12-inch cast iron pan for years. It was a whopping $18 and I hear, supposed to be the best investment I’ve ever made. But despite my repeated no-soap, re-reseasoning and tomato-avoiding efforts, the seasoning had never gotten to that “nonstick-like” place. Or so I thought! This morning, I heaved that thing up onto the stove for the pancakes, warned Alex that this might be “bagel run” kind of morning in the end, after all, and got to frying those babies up.
And it worked like a charm. It was great! They were great! Nothing stuck, not even a little. Frankly, the only issue is that the pan is way too big for my tiny burner and the pancakes cooked unevenly but like I care. After this morning, I can finally be one of those cast-iron zealots I was so secretly envious of, never understanding why their cast-iron experiences were so much more enlightened than mine.
Alas, I’ll get more into this in the weeks and months that follow, as I reestablish relations with my cast-iron and test it out with various dishes. In the meanwhile–oh right!–the pancakes… Joan Nathan calls these Apple Latkes, which is really what got my attention in the first place. I am going to have to beg to differ on that, as they have way too much liquid and flour to really be a “latke”, or fritter. They are pancakes with shredded apples, and while the recipe itself is quite easy I think it will need some flavor tweaking to get it to a more interesting place. Nevertheless, I think it would be worth it and have made some suggestions in the head notes.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go apologize to my cast-iron pan for neglecting it for all of these years. We have so much to catch up on!
One year ago: Chicken with Chanterelles and Pearl Onions
Two years ago: Way Better Than Campbell’s Cream of Tomato Soup
Apple Pancakes
Adapted from Joan Nathan, and a bunch of other sources laying claim to the same recipe
As I mentioned above, these are going to need a little more oomph than the original recipe entails. I’d vote for some orange or lemon zest, perhaps some cinnamon or vanilla extract or … well, what do you think? I am eager to see what you all do to step it up a bit.
(New to pancakes? Check out these tips.)
2 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups of milk or yogurt (I used milk and am only assuming that the yogurt will work as well)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 medium apples, peeled and coarsely grated (I used yellow delicious, but will use a more tart variety next time)
Extra flavorings (see recipe notes)
Vegetable oil, for frying
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
1. Mix the eggs with the milk or yogurt in a large bowl.
2. In a smaller bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together.
3. Combine the wet and the dry ingredients and stir in the apples and whatever other flavorings you see fit.
4. Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet over low to medium heat. Drop large spoonful of batter into the pan and flatten it out a little (otherwise, you might have trouble getting them to cook in the center) and cook until golden brown underneath. Flip the pancakes and cook them for an additional two or three minutes.
5. Either dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately, or keep on a tray in a warmed oven until you are ready to serve them.
baked eggs with spinach and mushrooms
My brunch arsenal, the dishes I’ve made enough times that they no longer cause any furrowed brows — a core entertaining principle here at House Smitten Kitchen (sigil:cast-iron skillet) — is as follows: bacon (always roasted in the oven, I mean, unless you were hoping to mist yourself with eau de pork belly*); some sort of fruit salad (either mixed berries and vanilla bean-scented yogurt or mixed citrus segments, sometimes with mint and feta); buttermilk biscuits; a pitcher of Bloody Marys, a bottle of champagne and a couple carafes of freshly-squeezed grapefruit or orange juice, blood orange whenever available; something sweet (our current favorite) and eggs. As I dictated years ago, everything that can be made in advance should be, thus pancakes, individually fried slices of French toast, omelets and even eggs baked in ramekins, adorable as they may be, are verboten. I’ve been there, I’ve done that, and it’s always the worst.
In the egg category, my favorite for ease and laze is this spinach and cheese strata, however, if I have even 15 additional minutes at my disposal (which, let’s be honest, I do, especially when I spend less time here) remains these baked eggs with spinach and mushrooms. We talked about it, oh, seven years ago, but it’s been so buried in the archives, literally three recipes deep with a single hideous photo, that I’m long overdue to unearth it. At the time, I was charmed by how incredible something so wholesome could taste. These days, I’d add to its list of charms: vegetarian, gluten/grain-free, as good for a weeknight dinner as it is a weekend brunch dish, and oh, did I mention that it looks like an Easter egg basket? That’s a recent development.
For years, I made it in a skillet, which is great if you were going for a rustic one-pan meal thing. But as will happen in a tiny kitchen, when we had friends over in late January, my skillet was needed for something else so I transferred the sauteed vegetables to a giant baking dish and made deep wells of wells for each egg, dropped them in and baked the dish 30 minutes before we were going to eat for the loveliest version yet. And, hey, I realize on a list of food priorities from “needing it to survive” to “hoping it tastes good,” “making food prettier” doesn’t even rank. This is not essential stuff. But when you’re trying to convince people that two pounds of wilted spinach and one pound of sauteed mushrooms are, in fact, going to taste astoundingly good (parmesan, butter and butter help), a little extra pretty goes a long way.
* Actually, let me share the very best bacon tip I know, which Tracy from Shutterbean recently shared with me: go to the Whole Foods breakfast bar and fill a take-out container with their house bacon, which is usually organic, humanely raised and a pretty good value by weight. You can reheat it at home on a rack when needed and save yourself all sorts of greasy, smoky cleanup. You could also make your own bacon the day before and crisp it 3/4 of the way, and finish it in the oven before guests arrive.
Brunch: Dozens more recipes here.
How to Host Brunch and Still Sleep In: You know you wanna.
One year ago: Yogurt Panna Cotta with Walnuts and Honey
Two years ago: Cinnamon Toast French Toast
Three years ago: Heavenly Chocolate Cake Roll
Four years ago: Radicchio Apple and Pear Salad and New York Cheesecake
Five years ago: Bialys and Artichokes Braised in Lemon and Olive Oil
Six years ago: Shaker Lemon Pie
Seven years ago: Potato Rosemary Bread
Baked Eggs with Spinach and Mushrooms
Adapted from Gourmet, June 2004
I triple the original recipe, which makes enough for four eggs, or an lovely weeknight dinner. You can find those yields in the link above. But I’m usually making it for a crowd, and any leftovers, even though the centers of the eggs will firm up when you reheat it, are still incredible. We’re having it for dinner this week.
Serves: 6 with massive portions to 12 with regular-sized ones. How far it stretches will depend on how much other food you’re putting out, but don’t underestimate how filling one egg can big with a big scoop of all the vegetables around it.
2 pounds (32 ounces) ounces fresh baby spinach or regular spinach leaves
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
3 small garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced (I use creminis)
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon table salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional; I skip this)
12 large eggs
6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
If you’ve just washed your spinach, no need to dry it before wilting it in the pan. If it’s already dry, bring 1/2 inch water to a boil in a very large ovenproof heavy skillet, then add half of spinach and cook, turning with tongs, until wilted, about 30 seconds. Add remaining spinach and wilt in same manner, then cook, covered, over moderately high heat until spinach is tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and cool under cold running water. Gently squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, then coarsely chop. You will have about 2 cups fairly tightly packed cooked spinach.
Wipe skillet dry, then melt butter over medium-low heat. Cook onion and garlic until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and increase heat to medium-high, then cook, stirring, until mushrooms have softened, exuded liquid and that liquid has cooked off, about 5 minutes. Stir in cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg (if using), and chopped spinach and bring back a simmer. Remove skillet from heat.
If baking eggs in this skillet, make 12 large indentations in mixture, each large enough to fit an egg. Otherwise, you can transfer this mixture to a 9×13-inch baking dish and do the same there. I like to use 2 teaspoons to make the wells; I press the backs of them together to “pinch” up the spinach mixture to form taller walls so that the eggs will not merge together.
Do ahead: You can then set this aside for a few hours or up to one day in the fridge, covered.
When you’re ready to bake the dish, or about 30 minutes before serving, put oven rack in upper third of oven and heat oven to 450°F. Crack an egg into each well. Bake until whites are firm and yolks are still runny. You can check this by inserting a toothpick into various parts of the eggs and seeing whether they’re runny or set, which takes anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. The range is long due to different ovens and baking vessels. It’s better to have to check more often than to let them overcook.
[Cooking note: It is nearly impossible to get all 12 eggs to cook evenly. The ones in the center will be more runny; at the edges, they’ll be more firm. But don’t fret. I’ve found that almost all people have an egg preference (more runny vs. more firm) and each egg manages to find the right home. Just ask people their preference as you serve them.]
Remove dish from oven, sprinkle with additional salt and pepper, plus grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.
BROILED MUSSELS
broiled mussels
Welcome to the single time each calendar year I cook something that began its life in the ocean. I suspect right now that you’re in one of a few camps. You’re either thinking “You know, I never noticed it before but Deb, you really don’t have any fish recipes on the site!” Or you’re thinking, “What kind of person doesn’t eat fish?” or you’re thinking, “Lady, I just arrived here yesterday because I heard there were somecookies around and I couldn’t care less about your food hangups.” Welcome, all of you.
Yeah, so I have some fish hangups. But I love mussels. It’s probably because they’re usually steamed open in wine or beer, shallots or garlic, butter or, well, even more butter. It doesn’t hurt that they’re usually served with fries, and the juices sopped up with chunks of crusty baguette. Can you imagine a more glorious way to go out? They’re sweet and bite-sized and the shells make the most magnificent low clinking sounds against each other in a bowl, like very full wine glasses. The presence of those is encouraged, too.
I mentioned a few weeks ago my household’s adoration of the Canal House cookbooks (there are three a year, and a year’s worth was an awesome present last year). I don’t mean this to undermine the cooking, because that in and of itself is wonderful, but it’s true lifestyle porn: I don’t just want the cooking, I want it all, the aged-just-so dishes, the mismatched flatware, the abandoned barn tables with a little cascade of afternoon light flitting across and the afternoon cocktail that’s all part of day’s work. The recipes — crafted in the Lambertville, NJ kitchen of Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton, one a former founding editor and the other a former test kitchen director at Saveur — are seasonal and pared down yet elegant, things you immediately fantasize about serving at dinner parties you suddenly, urgently need to have.
And so when they suggested that I steam mussels open in wine, slather them with butter compounded with parsley, garlic, smoked paprika and salt and broil them until the butter is bubbly and serve at a party, I immediately wanted to do just that. Of course, it was actually a party of two last Friday night because we spend a lot more time these days chasing a tiny staggering drunk around than entertaining, but it doesn’t mean we can’t be fancy, right?
One year ago: Build Your Own Smitten Kitchen or the closest I’ve ever come to a gift guide. Nothing but practical, reasonably priced stuff, promise! Also, Creamed Mushrooms on Butter Chive Toast, Ridiculously Easy Butterscotch Sauce andMushroom Marsala Pasta with Artichokes
Two years ago: Brown Butter Brown Sugar Shorties, Spelt Everything Crackers, Feta Salsa and Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Three years ago: Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookiesand Austrian Raspberry Shortbread
Four years ago: Fettucine with Porcini, Potato Salad with Sherry Mustard Vinaigrette, Salted Chocolate Caramels and Zucchini, Ham and Ricotta Fritters
Broiled Mussels
Adapted from Canal House, Vol. 5
I added a lot of directions here, such as how to clean mussels and a good place to pause if you’d like to make these a few hours before you will be entertaining. The only thing I would do differently next time is to chop my parsley more finely so that it would distribute evenly. Whether you swap beer for wine or regular butter for brown butter, I don’t think there’s a bad way to make these.
Serves 6 as appetizers
2 pounds mussels
1 cup white wine (they suggest 1/2 cup but I need more to steam that volume)
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, minced
1 small clove garlic, minced
4 pinches smoked paprika (pimenton)
Clean your mussels. There are a zillion ways to do this, this is mine: I put them in a big bowl of very cold water for about 10 minutes. This encourages them to expel their sand. Scoop them out (not dump, if you dump the sandy water over them, it defeats the purpose) one by one and scrub them under running water. Most cultivated mussels have the bissus (beard) removed but if one lingers, yank it toward the hinge (if you do it away from the hinge, it can kill the mussel prematurely) or cut it with a knife. Discard any mussels with chipped shells or that are not completely shut; they are more than likely dead and it’s not worth finding out if it may or may not make you sick, right?
Boil your wine in a medium pot. Add the mussels, cover and steam them open over high heat until they open. You can start checking at 3 minutes, but it can take up to 6. I like to use the lid and potholders and shake them around a little from time to time, to make sure they’re getting equal access to the wine and heat.
Once open, let the mussels cool. Twist off and discard one of the shells from each mussels (discard any that didn’t open), making sure that the remaining shell contains the mussel. Reserve the mussel broth for another use. Mash butter, parsley, garlic, pimenton and salt to taste in a small bowl and slather each mussel with the compound butter. Arrange them in a broiler-safe tray and chill them in the fridge until the butter is hard. [This is a great do-ahead interval, if you’d like to prepare these for when you entertain.]
Preheat the broiler (or your oven to 500, if you don’t have a broiler). Broil the mussels until the butter is bubbling hot, about 2 minutes (or up to 4 in an oven). Serve immediately, with crusty bread or my favorite, baked pommes frites.
Newcastle Brown Ale Pulled Duck Nachos
Newcastle Brown Ale Pulled Duck Nachos
THIS POST WAS SPONSORED BY NEWCASTLE BROWN ALE. NEWCASTLE BROWN ALE IS FANTASTIC ON ITS OWN AND INCREDIBLE WHEN USED WHEN COOKING – ESPECIALLY IN HOLIDAY DISHES. YOU CAN FIND IT AT RETAILERS NATIONALLY.
THANKS FOR SUPPORTING I AM A FOOD BLOG!
THANKS FOR SUPPORTING I AM A FOOD BLOG!
When I think of beer, I think of nachos. And nachos are one of my all time favorite food groups. I’ve been known to make people restaurant hop in search of nachos. One year, my dearest friends and I had the most surreal Christmas nacho experience. We were in a hip (okay, it wasn’t that hip) part of town with tons of restaurants and none of them had nachos. We must’ve gone to 4 or 5 places, looking at menus, until we finally found a place by the water. It wasn’t the kind of joint that we’d typically visit, but at that point we were all fiending for nachos, so we went in.
There were neon Christmas lights all over, a creepy Santa in the corner, and cheesy Christmas pop songs playing. It was the best. And for some reason, we all agreed, very very surreal. We felt like we were either in a movie (David Lynch style, all weird and dreamy) or having major deja vu. It was fun and one of my favorite nacho memories.
Is it weird that I have nacho memories? It doesn’t seem that weird to me. And, I just created another one! While Mike and I were in London a week or so ago, a major nacho craving hit. I came up with a nacho idea on the flight in and I just couldn’t get it out of my head: beer-braised duck nachos – specifically Newcastle Brown Ale pulled duck nachos. It’s a good thing Newcastle Brown Ale is the most widely distributed beer in the UK (and America’s number 1 imported brown ale!), because tortilla chips really aren’t.
We landed, checked in to our little rental with its even littler kitchen and headed out for some grocery shopping. I absolutely LOVE grocery shopping in other countries. It’s so much fun seeing what the differences are. In London, I’ve noticed that they have a lot of ready-made food. More so than I’ve ever seen at home. Also, they don’t sell tortilla chips. Anywhere.
Okay, that’s a lie, but the first night we were there, we hit up two major grocery stores and lots of little convenience stores and I couldn’t find plain tortilla chips anywhere. After a terse night of googling, we headed out in the morning and lo and behold, found the chips. I was tense for a while but it turned out all good!
Unlike tortilla chips, duck is a readily available meat in London. I used a duck crown, which is basically a duck with its legs removed, but you can use boneless duck breast or legs, just make sure to adjust the liquid when braising. This recipe couldn’t be easier, which is awesome when you have limited kitchen supplies. All you need is a frying pan and a covered pot.
I started out by browning the duck for a bit of crispiness, then popped it into a pot with Newcastle Brown Ale, fennel, shallots, and garlic. The beer adds a touch of caramel-y sweetness that goes fantastic with duck. After about an hour in its bubbly ale bath, I removed the skin from the duck and shredded the meat. The skin was sliced up and fried to make crispy duck cracklings. I also made some crispy shallots, using duck fat. After that, it went something like this: a layer of tortilla chips, shredded duck, British cheddar, crispy duck cracklings, fried shallots, scallions, and sliced red chilis. Serve with cold Newcastle Brown Ale and you’ve got yourself a nacho dream come true!
PS – I love how Christmas-y these nachos came out looking! Also, I’m going to be doing a giveaway with Newcastle Brown Ale on my Instagram. Hop on over there to enter to win a $200 Prepaid Visa Gift Card! #NewcastleChefContest
Newcastle Brown Ale Pulled Duck Nachos
serves 4-6Newcastle Brown Ale Braised Duck
- 2 LB DUCK CROWN (SEE NOTES)
- 1 BULB FENNEL, THINLY SLICED
- 3 CLOVES GARLIC
- 2 MEDIUM SHALLOTS, HALVED
- 1/2 CUP NEWCASTLE BROWN ALE
- 1-2 CUPS LOW SODIUM CHICKEN STOCK
- SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER
Beer Braised Duck Nachos
- 2 LARGE SHALLOTS, SLICED
- RESERVED DUCK FAT
- 14 OUNCE BAG OF YOUR FAVORITE TORTILLA CHIPS
- 2 CUPS BEER BRAISED PULLED DUCK
- CRISPY DUCK CRACKLINGS
- 1 CUP SLICED GREEN ONIONS
- 3 RED OR GREEN JALAPEÑOS, SLICED
- 1 1/2 CUPS GRATED WHITE CHEDDAR
- 1 1/2 CUPS GRATED MOZZARELLA
- 1/4 CUP CRUMBLED FETA
Start off by browning the duck. Over medium heat, in a non-stick skillet, brown the skin of the duck until deeply golden and crispy, flipping as needed. Spoon off fat as it accumulates, and reserve. When crispy, remove and set aside.Find a small pot that the duck will fit into snuggly. Add a bit of duck fat, and fennel slices, garlic, and shallots. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned. Add half a cup of Newcastle Brown Ale and 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add the duck into the pot, the liquid should come halfway up the duck. Adjust as necessary. Simmer on low, with the lid on, for 1 hour.While the duck is cooking, make the crispy shallots. Add the rendered duck fat and the sliced shallots to a cold pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until lightly browned. Remove and drain on paper towels.When the duck is cooked, remove from the cooking liquid and let rest for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the skin and cut into strips. Add the strips to a non-stick frying pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crispy. Remove from pan and let drain on paper towels. Shred the duck, taste, and season with salt and pepper if needed.Preheat the oven to 400°F. If desired, line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.Place a single layer of chips on your baking sheet. Top with pulled duck, then shredded cheeses. Sprinkle on the duck cracklings, shallots, green onions, and jalapeños. Repeat as needed, layering so each chip is fully loaded.Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese is gooey and melted. Top with the crumbled feta and enjoy immediately!NOTE: A duck crown is a bone in duck missing the legs. You can substitute 2 boneless duck breasts or 2 duck legs if desired. Adjust the amount of chicken stock, you want the liquid to come halfway up the duck.
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