Fillet Wellington with Green Asparagus and Hollandaise Sauce

• Filet Wellington or Beef Wellington is a dish originally from French cuisine that is known in France as "Filet de boeuf en croute" and has been eaten in a modified form for several hundred years. Since beef fillet is expensive, it is particularly suitable for festive occasions.

The Duchsle

• Duchsle is the name given to the mushroom mass that surrounds the beef fillet. To do this, wash the mushrooms and chop them as finely as possible. This can be done either with a stand mixer or the classic way with a knife (but of course it takes a lot longer). Finely chop the shallots, garlic and parsley as well. Then heat some olive oil in a pan. The goal is now to fry all the water out of the mushrooms. This process can take 30 minutes or more but is essential for the batter to stick to the meat in the end. After 20 minutes add the shallots, garlic, parsley and a little salt. After the mushrooms have lost all the water, let them cool down completely (!!).

The meat

• Meanwhile, season the meat with plenty of salt and pepper and sear it in a hot pan with the butter. This process only takes a few seconds from each side. It is only important that roasted aromas develop on the meat. Then remove the meat from the pan, let it cool and brush with Dijon mustard.

Put the fillet Wellington together

• Spread one of the two puff pastries on a lightly floured work surface (do not roll out!). Now form a rectangle out of the duchsle in the middle of the dough. The length of the window should be based on the length of the piece of meat. The height should be about 2.5 times as high as the fillet. Carefully press the Duchsle down a little. Then place the fillet piece with the side that should be up at the end down and in the middle (see picture). Now roll up the Wellington filet. Roll the dough up from the bottom. Press the dough tightly against the fillet piece and roll it tightly so that there are no gaps between the dough and the fillet.
• Now spread out the second dough. Roll out the dough with a wire mesh roller. Alternatively, thin strips can be cut out of the dough. Mix the egg yolk and cream and coat the Wellington filet with it. Then place the lattice dough or the cut-out strips on it and also brush with the egg yolk and cream mixture. Bake the fillet at 180 degrees air circulation for 30-40 minutes (depending on the desired degree of beef fillet).

hollandaise sauce

• Meanwhile, remove the woody ends from the green asparagus and cook in salted water for 10-12 minutes in good time. Melt the butter in a saucepan for the Hollandairse sauce, but do not heat it too much! Put the egg yolks with lemon juice, water and salt in a saucepan and place it in a hot water bath. Stir with a whisk (better an electric mixer) until the mixture is creamy. Take the pot out of the water bath (important, otherwise the sauce will curdle) and now gradually add the melted butter, first teaspoon at a time, then tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper and serve immediately. Good Appetite!