Individual Beef Croustades with Boursin & Mushrooms
Ask for filets from near the tail end of the tenderloin so they’re tall and
narrow, rather than short and wide.
Serves six.
For the mushroom filling:
1 pound fresh white button or cremini mushrooms, cleaned
2 medium shallots
1 clove garlic, cut in half
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the croustades:
6 filets mignons, 6 ounces each and about 1-3/4 inches thick
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cakes (5.2 ounces each) peppercorn Boursin cheese, slightly softened at room
temperature
1-pound package phyllo dough (with at least 24 sheets, preferably more), thawed
in the refrigerator overnight
1/4 pound (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted; more if needed
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh chives
For the filling:
Trim the mushroom stems close to the caps. Put the mushrooms, shallots and
garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not puréed; scrape
the bowl as needed. Transfer the chopped mushrooms to the center of a clean
dishtowel. Gather up the sides of the towel and twist, keeping the mushrooms
well contained in the cloth, bonbon style. With one hand, hold the ball of
mushrooms over the sink; with the other hand, twist the gathered cloth,
squeezing out as much liquid as possible.
Heat the butter and oil in a 10-inch skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add
the mushrooms, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are
very soft and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Don't let them brown. Uncover and cook
until the pan is mostly dry, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the parsley; season with 1/2
teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. The filling can be refrigerated for up to a
week or frozen for up to two weeks. If frozen, thaw overnight in the
refrigerator and, if necessary, cook gently in an uncovered skillet to evaporate
any juices that may have developed in the freezer.
For the croustades:
Sear the filets: Season the filets mignons generously on all sides with
salt. Heat the butter and oil in a 10-inch skillet or sauté pan over medium-high
heat until very hot and sizzling.
Put three of the filets in the pan and sear on one side until well browned, 1 to
2 minutes. Turn and brown the other side. Then quickly sear along the sides,
using tongs to turn, about another 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate lined
with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining filets. Cover and refrigerate for
at least 1 hour.
To assemble: Mash the Boursin with a fork in a small bowl until
spreadable. Remove at least 24 sheets of phyllo from the package and cut them
into
10-inch squares. Cover them with -plastic wrap and a damp dishtowel while you
work to keep them from drying out. Lay a single phyllo sheet on a clean, dry
surface. With a pastry brush, lightly paint an even coat of the melted butter
over the entire surface of the square. Sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon of the
chives. Set a second sheet at a 90-degree angle over the first. Brush butter
over it as well and sprinkle with another 1/2 teaspoon chives.
Make four layers, omitting the chives from the last layer, with the corners of
the phyllo pointing in different directions, starlike. Blot one filet dry with a
paper towel, set it in the center of the star, and sprinkle it with salt. Spread
about 2 tablespoons of the Boursin on the filet and top that with 2 generous
tablespoons of the mushroom filling.
Pick a starting point and work your way around the filet, gathering the edges of
the phyllo star together, beggar’s purse style. Lightly pinch together the
gathered phyllo close to the surface of the meat to hold it in place. Pull the
corners open slightly as if making a paper flower. Brush the whole exposed
surface lightly with more butter, being sure that the bottom is buttered as
well. Transfer to a heavy baking sheet. Repeat this “packaging’” for the
remaining filets. If you’re working ahead, chill the filets uncovered on the
baking sheet until ready to bake, up to 8 hours.
To bake: Take the croustades out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes
before you’re ready to bake them. Position an oven rack in the lower third of
the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Bake the croustades, rotating the baking
sheet after 10 minutes to ensure evening browning, until an instant-read
thermometer inserted through the side of each packet and into the center of the
filet reads 130°F for medium rare, 17 to 22 minutes. Serve immediately.
By Randall Price.
From Fine Cooking #69, pp. 44-49
photo: Scott Phillips
Individual Beef Croustades with Boursin & Mushrooms