An entire filet of beef embellished with pâté and sautéed mushrooms and baked in a pastry crust is a preparation reminiscent of grander times. In the classic method, the beef gets roasted twice—once before being wrapped in pastry and once after—with the unfortunate result of either overcooked beef or undercooked pastry. In the following recipe, we skip the preliminary roasting and instead wrap the uncooked meat directly in pastry. This one-step method promises moist, rosy-centered beef surrounded by a crisp pastry crust.
Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400┬░F.
Season:
1 center-cut beef filet or chateaubriand (about 3 pounds), well trimmed
with:
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Combine in a medium bowl:
5 ounces foie gras (1/2 cup), or duck, goose, or chicken liver pâté, mashed until smooth
1 1/2 cups Duxelles, cooled
3 tablespoons Madeira
Spread the pâté mixture over the entire filet. Roll out to a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle large enough to wrap easily around the entire filet with some overlap, about 13 x 9 inches:
Place the filet in the center of the dough. Gently pull the pastry up and around the roast, wrapping the entire filet in a neat package. Trim off any excess dough and seal the edges by brushing them with the egg wash and pressing them together. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Place the wrapped filet seam side down on the pan and brush the top with egg wash. Use the trimmed dough to make decorative leaves or scrolls, if desired. Cut 2 or 3 small, neat holes evenly spaced in the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape as the filet cooks and to allow you to insert a meat thermometer without breaking the crust. Bake until the crust is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer tucked in the thickest part of the roast registers 120┬░ to 125┬░F for rare, 125┬░ to 130┬░F for medium-rare, or 135┬░ to 140┬░F for medium, 35 to 55 minutes (the temperature will continue to rise 5┬░ to 10┬░ out of the oven). If the pastry begins to get too brown during baking, cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Remove the roast from the oven and let stand, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Carve the roast at the table, using a serrated knife to cut 3/4-inch-thick slices. If desired, consult the sauce chapter for sauce ideas or serve with:
