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Here it is 3 days before Xmas and I am just sitting down to plan our Christmas breakfast and dinner (for 12). Bah humbug or something
We are getting a turkey breast today (too late for the frozen whole turkey) and instead of ham... I think I would like to stir things up and offer Beef Wellington. I have never done this before, but it looks simple enough.
My question is this... can I make the mushroom mixture the day ahead and then just roll the meat and the mushroom mixture in the puff pastry on Christmas?
I am the only one who cooks and I feel so blah about the meal this year. I have tried to suggest a 'heavy appetizer' grazing meal, but my mother in law insists that my father in law MUST have a sit down Christmas dinner. It feels too much like Thanksgiving all over again....
I haven't made Beef Wellington but it sounds reasonable that you could do it ahead. I have another suggestion though, since you aren't very fired up to cook. How about a supermarket ham that you just have to heat up? They offer up some pretty good ones this time of year, with brown sugar glaze and spiral cut. I'm doing that this Christmas, along with scalloped potatoes and a green vegetable. Easy and yields good leftovers.
Pro chefs Mess up Beef Wellington, it looks easy enough to do and I'd love to try it but it's awfuly costly if I would mess it up.. I'd look for a youtube vid or something showing step by step before i'd attempt it and still be afraid.
Gordon Ramsey has a youtube video on Beef Wellington - it's simple, direct, and to the point - makes it very simple to follow.
The mushroom paste is pretty easy, if I remember right, but I dont think it'd really lose any quality if you made it the day before.
Make sure the meat has ample time to rest after you sear it before you wrap it in the pastry so that it absorbs its juices back in and doesn't make your pastry too soggy on the bottom; you might consider baking it on a rack even to lift it off the bottom of your baking tray.
It's a pretty easy dish to make, yet it looks nice and fancy at the same time.
It's your house, Stacy, do what you and your family want. Sorry, when people tell me what to do in my house I usually do the opposite, but I'm a jerk.
Wellington is hard to tell when done, imo. Go for a bacon wrapped fillet on the grill so your husband can help out and ease the load on you.
Another thing, for me anyway, is that it is not good to try something new when I have guests'. Use old reliable or practice a day or so ahead of the "big day".
What Capt. Cave Man said. My ex mil was a bi*** from h**l, but even SHE wouldn't have tried that with me. "I fixed it, I put it on the table, now do you want to eat it or do you want to wear it? "usually brings even the pickiest eater around.
Gordon Ramsey actually has a Christmas cooking show on BBC America this week with the Beef Wellington on there, check your listings.
I think it could actually be beneficial to leave the mushrooms overnight since the flavors would probably intensify in that time, but be sure to cook all the moisture out of them.
Although in all honesty I'd probably go with the ham. Set up a buffet table and those who want to sit down can do so. My supermarket actually does full on dinners for under $50 with it all, if you really don't want to do all the work!
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Sorry, when people tell me what to do in my house I usually do the opposite, but I'm a jerk.
