Fillet (Tenderloin) Steaks in Cream Cheese Pastry Parcels (Oamc)

A very tasty and impressive dish for guests that takes quite some preparation, but well worth the effort. To cut down on preparation time on "the day". the pastry and stuffing can be made ahead. Alternatively, the completed dish can be made ahead and frozen for up to one month.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 5 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 6  beef medallions (fillet or tenderloin cut 1 inch thick)
• 3  teaspoons butter

• CREAM CHEESE PASTRY

• 2  cups cake flour
• 1  pinch salt
• 1  teaspoon mustard powder
• 6  ounces butter
• 8  ounces cream cheese

• STUFFING

• 3  teaspoons butter
• 8  ounces ham, cut into strips
• 1  garlic clove, crushed
• 2  ounces spring onions, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 3  teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped or 1  teaspoon dried tarragon
• 3  teaspoons lemon juice
• 2  ounces sour cream or 2  ounces cream cheese
• 1  pinch salt
• 1  pinch black pepper

Directions

1. FOR THE PASTRY:
2. Sift dry ingredients together.
3. Cut (very cold) butter into smaller pieces and LIGHTLY rub into the dry ingredients with the fingertips.
4. Add the cream cheese, a little at a time, to form a stiff consistency.
5. Place pastry in a plastic bag and leave to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
6. Roll out thinly and cut into 5 inch squares.
7. Leave in refrigerator until needed.
8. FOR THE STUFFING:
9. Heat the butter in a frying pan.
10. Saute the next 4 ingredients until softened.
11. Add remaining ingredients and blend in a food processor or liquidizer to a smooth consistency.
12. Refrigerate until needed.
13. STEAKS AND ASSEMBLY:
14. Lightly brown the steak medalions in butter.
15. Spoon a little stuffing on the centre of a pastry square, place the steak on top, followed with a little more stuffing.
16. Bring the four sides of the pastry together and shape like a bundle of laundry.
17. Secure with a toothpick and garnish with thin strips of pastry.
18. (The parcels may be frozen at this point).
19. Brush pastry with a little beaten egg to glaze and bake on a greased baking tray at 475 F for 20-25 minutes or until golden-brown.
20. (Serve with Sherried Mushroom Sauce - Recipe #291073).