Filet of beef in phyllo pastry with madeira sauce

Yield: 6 Servings

Measure Ingredient
3 pounds Beef Fillet Mignon; whole, trimmed
\N \N Salt
2 tablespoons Butter
½ pounds Mushrooms; minced
2 \N Whole Shallots Or Green Onions, minced
1 pack Phyllo Dough
½ cup Melted Butter --Madeira Wine Sauce---
3 tablespoons Butter
1½ tablespoon Flour
¾ cup Beef Stock
1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet; or Bovril
¼ cup Madeira Wine

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub filet with salt. In a heavy skillet, sear the meat over high heat in sweet butter until brown on all sides to seal in the juices. Set aside.

Layer 12 pieces of phyllo pastry together, brushing each layer with melted butter. Spread about half of the mushroom/shallot mixture on the pastry and place the seared beef on top. Then place remaining mushrooms on top of filet and fold the phyllo dough around the filet.

Prepare an additional 5 to 6 layers of phyllo pastry, each brushed with butter. Seal all edges of roast by overlapping with this additional pastry and brush with butter.

Place beef in a buttered baking pan and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes or until pastry is browned and flaky. Prepare Madiera sauce while beef is baking. Remove beef to a serving dish and serve with Madeira sauce.

Madeira Sauce: Melt the butter, stir in flour, and cook for 5 minutes. Add beef stock, kitchen bouquet, and Madeira. Cook until thickened.

NOTES : Easy and very elegant. The main cooking of the meat comes with the searing, so later it only warms while the pastry is baking. The phyllo pastry is buttery, flaky, golden brown, and delicious. This is also excellent made ahead and sliced and served cold for a buffet or an elegant picnic. I've also served this with a Sauce Bearnaise (wonderful).

Recipe by: San Francisco A La Carte Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #719 by The Moravecs <MoreVex@...> on Aug 4, 1997

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