Pan-Seared Beef in Pastry Crust
Tender seared beef wrapped in crispy puff pastry with a savory mushroom-shallot filling. A simplified take on the French classic that delivers restaurant elegance in 45 minutes.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 720
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 2 steaks (6 oz each) beef tenderloin or ribeye steaks
- 6 oz mushrooms, finely chopped
- 2 medium shallots, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs thyme, fresh
- 8 oz puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large egg, beaten
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 400°F and let it heat until the indicator light turns off or it beeps, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Place each mushroom on a cutting board and chop into pieces the size of peas — aim to fill 1/4 cup when pressed down.
- 3
Cut the shallot in half from root to tip, peel away the papery skin, then place flat-side down and slice lengthwise into very thin strips; turn the strips 90 degrees and chop crosswise into pieces smaller than a grain of rice.
- 4
Chop the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice — about the size of pencil-tip dots.
- 5
Remove the thyme leaves from the stem by pinching near the base and sliding your thumb up — discard the stem.
- 6
Place a 10-inch skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil; wait until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.
- 7
Add the chopped mushrooms to the hot oil and stir once every 30 seconds for 5 minutes, until the mushrooms release their liquid and the liquid evaporates, leaving golden-brown pieces.
- 8
Stir in the minced shallots and garlic, then cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until the shallots soften and smell fragrant.
- 9
Stir in the thyme leaves and remove the skillet from heat; let the filling cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes.
- 10
Pat each steak dry with paper towels, pressing firmly on both sides and the edges to remove all surface moisture.
- 11
Sprinkle both sides of each steak evenly with salt and pepper — about 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper per side.
- 12
Place the same skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil; wait until it shimmers and moves quickly, about 90 seconds.
- 13
Place both steaks in the hot oil and do not move them for 3 minutes — they will develop a dark brown crust the color of a chestnut shell.
- 14
Flip each steak and cook undisturbed for 2 more minutes until the second side is dark brown.
- 15
Transfer the steaks to a plate and let them cool until you can touch them comfortably with your fingers, about 5 minutes.
- 16
Lightly dust a clean countertop or cutting board with flour, then unroll the puff pastry sheet and lay it flat on the floured surface.
- 17
Cut the pastry sheet in half down the middle, creating two equal rectangles — use a sharp knife and press straight down without dragging.
- 18
Place one cooled steak in the center of each pastry rectangle, leaving 2 inches of space on all sides so you can wrap the pastry around it.
- 19
Divide the cooled mushroom filling into two equal portions and spread one portion evenly over the top of each steak, covering the surface but not the edges.
- 20
Fold the pastry up and over the steak like wrapping a package: fold the two short ends first, overlapping them on top, then fold the two long sides up and over, pressing the seams closed with your fingers.
- 21
Place each wrapped steak seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them at least 3 inches apart.
- 22
Brush the beaten egg all over the top and sides of each pastry package using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon, coating evenly until glossy.
- 23
Slide the baking sheet into the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden brown, like the color of caramel.
- 24
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the pastry-wrapped steaks rest on the sheet for 3 minutes before serving.
Tools you’ll need
- oven
- 10-inch skillet
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- measuring spoons
- paper towels
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- pastry brush
- spatula
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