Ultimate Beef Wellington - what is it?

[Output Flange]

So, it's got a nice bit of fillet in the middle and some pastry on the outside, but what else makes up the ultimate beef wellington?

Should it have pate or duxelles? Or even something else entirely?

Should it be wrapped in Parma ham or a pancake?

So often you get served a wellington with some rather insipid gravy. If anyone has a decent red wine jus (or similar) recipe I'm all ears

[Melman Giraffe]

duxelles

Pancake

Job done!

[Dapster]

I tried this once - delicious!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrF8G06HqaM

It doesn't cover the gravy, but it's simple enough.

Fry off some thick cut veg (carrots, parsnips, onions, celerey and garlic) in the meat juices, deglaze with some stock, add your red wine, simmer, then seive out to give a fantastic, robust, meaty gravy.

[Tumbler]

I made an anchovy gravy yesterday which went really well with rich beef, added a splash of Port to it, I was worried it would be too salty, but it worked well, I did suggest to everyone else eating to have a taste of it before pouring it all over their meal though.

[captainzep]

I like wrapping (the fillet and duxelles) in parma ham.

Sort of guarantees decent seasoning with all that pastry and meat.

[mcflurry]

You mean this doesn't win...

http://groceries.asda.com/asda-estore/catalog/sect...

[calibrax]

Pate AND duxelles.

And the pate should be foie gras.

[Henry Hawthorne]

Funny you should say this; Guardian food wrote about this just the other day: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth...

Personally, I like it crisp on top and a buttery, slightly soft and gooey pastry on the bottom. Pate and duxelles to cover the meat.

[jkw]

i think this pretty much covers it. Needs to have the duxelles for taste, and foie gras is the classic other filling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jen3QTeK6Yw