Individual Beef Wellington

Ingredients

• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1/4  teaspoon pepper
• 1/4  teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
• 2  beef tenderloin steaks (4 to 6 ounces each)
• 1/2 of a  17.3-ounce package (1 sheet) frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 2  tablespoons deli or canned mushroom pate or liver pate
• 1  beaten egg white
• 3/4  cup water
• 1/3  cup dry red wine
• 1  tablespoon finely chopped shallot or onion
• 1/2  teaspoon instant beef bouillon granules
• 1/4  teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
• 1  bay leaf
• 2  tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
• 1  tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2  teaspoon snipped parsley

directions

1. In a small bowl stir together salt, pepper, and marjoram. Rub salt mixture over steaks, coating all sides.

2. Cut thawed pastry into 2 portions. Spread 1 tablespoon pate over one side of each steak. Place a steak, pate side down, on the center of each portion of pastry. Wrap pastry around meat. Trim excess pastry from ends; seal ends.

3. Place pastry-wrapped meat, seam sides down, in a greased, shallow baking pan. Brush pastry with beaten egg white. If desired, reroll trimmings to make cutouts. Place cutouts on pastry-wrapped meat. Brush with beaten egg white.

4. Bake, uncovered, in a 425 degree F oven about 15 minutes or until pastry is golden and meat is medium-rare. If desired, test doneness of meat by inserting a meat thermometer into pastry-wrapped meat. Medium-rare is 145 degrees F.

5. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine water, dry red wine, finely chopped shallot or onion, instant beef bouillon granules, dried thyme, crushed; and 1 bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup. Remove bay leaf.

6. Stir together softened margarine or butter and all-purpose flour. Add to wine mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Stir in snipped parsley. Serve with pastry-wrapped beef. Makes 2 servings.

Note: Recipe may be doubled to serve 4.