3 1/2 lb Beef fillet; tied and larded
- at room temperature
3/4 lb Mushrooms; finely chopped
2 1/2 tb Unsalted butter
1/2 lb Pate de foie gras
1 lb Puff pastry
1 lg Egg white; beaten
1 lg Egg yolk; beaten with:
1 ts Water
1/2 c Sercial madeira
2 ts Arrowroot; dissolved in:
1 tb Water; cold
1/2 c Beef broth
2 tb Black truffles; minced
Watercress; for garnish
In a roasting pan, roast the beef in the middle of a preheated
400 F oven for 25-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers
120 F. Let the fillet cool completely and discard the larding fat
and strings. Skim the fat from the pan juices and reserve the
juices. In a heavy skillet, cook the mushrooms in butter over
medium-low heat, stirring, until all liquid they give off is
evaporated and the mixture is dry. Season with salt and pepper and
let cool completely. Spread the fillet evenly with foie gras,
covering the top and sides, and spread the mushrooms evenly over
the foie gras. On a floured surface, roll 1 lb of puff pastry into
a rectangle about 20x12", or large enough to enclose the roast
completely. Invert the fillet in the middle of the pastry and fold
up the long sides to enclose it, brushing the edges of the dough
with some egg white to seal them. Fold the ends of the dough over
the fillet and seal with the egg white. Transfer the fillet, seam
side down, to a jelly-roll pan and brush the dough with egg wash.
Roll out additional dough and cut out shapes with which to decorate
the dough. After applying, brush with egg wash. Chill for at least
1 hour and up to 2 hours. Bake the fillet in the middle of a
preheated 400 F oven for 30 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 F and bake an additional 5-10 minutes more or
until a meat thermometer registers 130 F for medium rare meat and
the pastry is cooked through. Let stand for 15 minutes. In a
saucepan, boil the reserved pan juices and the Madeira until the
mixture is reduced by one fourth. Add the arrowroot mixture, broth,
truffles, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the sauce over
moderate heat, stirring, for 5 minutes or until thickened, being
careful not to let it boil. Loosen the fillet from the pan,
transfering it to a heated platter. Garnish with watercress. Serve
the fillet cut into 3/4" thick slices, with the sauce.
