The English have relished meat baked in pastry "coffins" since Shakespeare's day. This one is made easy by using frozen puff pastry.
| INGREDIENTS: 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp dried marjoram, crushed 2 beef tenderloin steaks (4 to 6 ounces each) 1/2 of a 17-1/4-ounce package (1 sheet) frozen puff pastry ,thawed 2 Tbsp deli or canned mushroom pate or liver pate 1 beaten egg white 3/4 cup water 1/3 cup dry red wine 1 Tbsp finely chopped shallot or onion 1/2 tsp instant beef bouillon granules 1/4 tsp dried thyme, crushed 1 bay leaf 2 Tbsp margarine or butter, softened 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1-1/2 teaspoons snipped parsley |
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In a small bowl stir together salt, pepper, and marjoram. Rub salt mixture over steaks, coating all sides.
Cut thawed pastry into 2 portions. Spread 1 tablespoon pate over one side of each steak. Place a steak, pate side down, on the center of each portion of pastry. Wrap pastry around meat. Trim excess pastry from ends; seal ends.
Place pastry-wrapped meat, seam sides down, in a greased, shallow baking pan. Brush pastry with beaten egg white. If desired, reroll trimmings to make cutouts. Place cutouts on pastry-wrapped meat. Brush with beaten egg white.
Bake, uncovered, in a 425° F oven about 15 minutes or until pastry is golden and meat is medium-rare. If desired, test doneness of meat by inserting a meat thermometer into pastry-wrapped meat. Medium-rare is 145° F.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine water, dry red wine, finely chopped shallot or onion, instant beef bouillon granules, dried thyme, crushed; and 1 bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup. Remove bay leaf.
Stir together softened margarine or butter and all-purpose flour. Add to wine mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Stir in snipped parsley. Serve with pastry-wrapped beef.
YIELD: 2 servings.
**NOTE: Recipe may be doubled to serve 4.
NUTRITION FACTS PER SERVING:
Calories ___________ 743 Cholesterol ______ 122 mg Protein _______ 36g Total Fat __________ 45 g Sodium _________ 985 mg Saturated Fat _______ 4 g Carbohydrates ____ 46 g