I think I have a Dave-ager...

It may be possible that I've met and married not only the love of my life, but someone who talks as much as I do (Yes, Dave...you do!). And with my amazing husband in the restaurant business, this quality comes in very handy in dealing with the public. 

So last week while he was at work, Dave starting talking to some ladies that were in for lunch.  The ladies, looking for somewhere new to try asked Dave where likes to go to eat when he isn't working...(it really is a common question asked to waiters) and Dave mentions Left Coast Kitchen and that I had blogged about it here... 

Dave gave them my blog address and they asked what kind of blog I wrote...
(while he knew about it from my telling him about some posts, he hadn't been back to read it since the first post...Shame on you Dave...but I'll forgive you because...) he described that I do my own restaurant reviews, but that I also post the recipes that I like to make.

"Your wife likes to cook?" the Newsday Food Reporter asked, "Would she be interested in submitting a recipe for us?"  She was in Vittorio's and reviewed the lunch they had (see it here).

Of course, Dave said yes...calls me and tells me...and I thought - OK, that is awfully nice, but really, nothing will come of it (that's my luck!).

Oh - the very next morning, they called! It took less than a week to submit a recipe, have a phone interview and a photographer come to the house and take some pictures!  So in Sunday's Newsday, you'll see my recipe and I in print!

Dave says he wants 10%....Um, its not a paid gig.
Dave says its the start, he got it for me, so he's claiming his percentage up front...
I have a Dave-ager. 


For Representation, call Dave

Anyway folks... Here are my "Baby Wellingtons"! 

First - make the horseradish sauce... at least a few hours ahead of time so the flavors have time to 'marry'. =)

3/4 of a cup of Mayonnaise

1 1/2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of whole grain mustard
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of horseradish (I like it spicy...if you don't - do about 1/2 a tablespoon)
4ish tablespoons of sour cream
a touch of salt

Mix together and let sit while you prepare the Welli's

 

Ingredients needed:

3 tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 pounds of beef*, cut into 24 cubes about 1 inch each
  * I use my favorite cut of beef here - rib eye or sirloin...but you can use any cut you choose...tenderloin is most popular
1/4 cup of flour
1 package of baby Bella mushrooms (minced)
1 large shallot
2 cloves of Garlic *note:  I always add more garlic than a recipe says...I think I used 4!
1 tsp each of fresh thyme and rosemary
1 tbs of butter
1/4 cup of a dry red wine (Cab or Merlot)
2 sheets of puff pastry - thawed
1 egg beaten
Salt and Pepper to taste

Trim/cut the beef into cubes then put into the freezer for 20 minutes.

Take the beef out of the freezer, pat dry - season with salt and pepper and coat very lightly with flour.

In a large pan over medium high heat, heat up 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sear the beef on top and bottom until golden - about 2 minutes in each side.  Remove from the pan and put on a plate to cool.

In the food processor - pulse the baby Bella mushrooms until finely minced. 

Then, finely chop the garlic and the shallot, as well as chop up your thyme and rosemary.

In that same pan that you browned the beef, add rest of the olive oil as well as the butter to melt. Then add your garlic - cook for about a minute and then add the shallot.

Cook for about 5 minutes, until the shallot is translucent and then add your mushrooms, salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary - Stir to combine and cook on a medium heat for about 6 minutes. 

Then add the red wine

and cook until the wine has reduced and the mixture is moist, but not overly saturated.

Remove from the heat and cool.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and coat a baking sheet very lightly with olive oil or non stick spray (or - as I did, for easy clean up, line the baking sheet with parchment paper!).

Flour your cutting board or work surface and roll out (separately) the sheets of puff pastry to be about 10 by 14.  (There is no exact science to this...and as you can see by the picture below, most often times I can't get it straight or at 10 x 14 either... just go with what feels comfortable.)

Place a teaspoon of the Mushroom mixture on the pastry - evenly spacing them in 3 rows of 4 (or as I did, 3 rows of 3!) and top that with a piece of your beef. 

Cut the pastry into even squares around the meat/mushroom mixture, pull each side up to completely surround the beef and make a pastry packet. 

Seam side down, put that on your baking sheet and brush with the beaten egg.

Bake until golden brown - about 20-25 minutes.  Remove and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

I also love the versatility of this dish - I've done it with loin of pork for Pork Wellingtons...and for my vegetarian friends... I'll make Veggie Welli's by replacing the beef with Portobello Mushrooms and Zucchini. 

I'd love to see how to do it with shrimp or scallops - but I think I'll change the mushroom mixture into something with  Leeks...  to be continued... :)

 

If you're on Long Island...pick up Sunday's Newsday...It should be in the Life & Style section!

Off to AZ with my sister...to visit a few more SOC's (sisters of choice)...I'll tell you about it next time!

Until Next Time...

EAT