Duxelles
2 packs fresh white button mushrooms
2 shallots roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Beef
2 lb beef tenderloin *
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
6-8 thin slices prosciutto
5 sprigs of fresh Thyme leaves
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
Flour, for rolling out puff pastry
1 pkg Puff pastry,thawed
2 eggs, lightly beaten, for egg wash
Green Peppercorn Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
1 cup brandy
2 cups beef stock
2 cups cream
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
1/2 cup green peppercorns in brine, drained (can substitute with capers)
Duxelles:
Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add butter and olive oil to a large sauté pan and set to medium heat. Add mushroom mixture and sauté for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Salt and Pepper to taste and set aside to cool.
Beef:
Tie tenderloin in 3-4 places so it holds its shape. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Sear all sides including the ends, in a hot skillet, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, cut off twine and rub tenderloin all over with dijon mustard, set aside.
Meanwhile set out the prosciutto on a sheet of plastic wrap (about 18 inches long), overlap (like shingles)prosciutto to form a rectangle big enough to wrap around the tenderloin. Using a rubber spatula spread duxelles all over prosciutto. Using the plastic wrap roll up beef tightly with duxelles covered prosciutto and twist the ends to seal it completely and hold it in a log shape. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to 1/4 inch thickness. Depending on the size of the sheets, you may need to overlap 2 sheets and press them together. Remove beef from refrigerator and cut off plastic. Set the beef in the center of pastry and wrap it over the beef, brushing with egg wash to seal, trim ends if necessary and fold ends under beef. Save trimmed ends of pastry for decorating top.
Brush pastry with egg wash, cut a couple slits in top of pastry using tip of sharp knife to vent, so steam can escape. Bake 40 minutes until golden brown and beef registers 125 degrees F with an instant read thermometer. Remove from oven and rest for 5-7 minutes before cutting into thick slices. Serve wth Green Peppercorn Sauce.
Sauce:
Add olive oil to the pan after searing the beef. Add shallots, garlic, and thyme; sauté 2 minutes, turn off heat, add brandy and flambé using a long lighter (use extreme caution). After flame dies down, return to heat, add beef stock and reduce by about half. Strain out the solids, then add cream and mustard. Reduce by half again, then remove from heat and add peppercorns.
* I used a thick piece of sirloin (cut by the butcher) for my first go at this recipe. It turned out awesome!
