A variation of Beef Wellington using Chinese rice paper

It's February, time for a creative recipe for Valentines Day. In many cases, cooking for your loved one can be the best way to show your affection. I always want to eat something really special on Valentines Day. For my recipe this month, I'm going to share an entree dish that is elegant, exciting and wonderfully tasty. This recipe is a variation of the very famous Beef Wellington. It is a Beef Tenderloin and Wild Mushrooms in Puff Pastry. What makes this recipe different is the use of Chinese Rice Paper. The meat and surrounding layer of chopped mushrooms are wrapped in the Chinese Rice Paper rounds before being swaddled in pastry. This keeps the crust from becoming overly soggy when baked. I hope this recipe comes in handy for a special treat.

Beef Tenderloin and Wild Mushrooms in Puff Pastry

1 T. canola oil

2 pounds beef tenderloin

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 stick plus 3 T. unsalted butter

1 pound assorted wild mushrooms, mixed (shiitake, porcini, baby bellas etc.) stems trimmed, thinly sliced

2 T. creme fraiche (see note No. 1)

2 12-inch rice-paper rounds (see note No. 2)

14 ounces all-butter puff pastry dough, chilled

1 large egg beaten with 1 T. water

One-half small sweet onion, sliced

1 medium carrot, thinly sliced

1 shallot finely chopped

12Ú3 cups pinot noir

1Ú4 cup plus 2 T. ruby port

n Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet until it is almost smoking. Add the beef tenderloin and brown it well on all four sides over moderately high heat, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the beef to a plate and season with salt and pepper. (If you like garlic, you can rub some crushed garlic into the beef now.) Reserve the skillet for later use.

n In another large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the mushrooms and cook over high heat, stirring, until they are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Finely chop the mushrooms in a food processor. Add the creme fraiche and process until combined. Season the mushroom mixture with salt and pepper.

n Moisten the rice-paper rounds under cool water and lay them on a cutting board until softened. Pat the rounds dry with paper towels. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 14-by-12-inch rectangle about 1Ú8-inch thick. Slightly overlap the rice-paper rounds in the center of the puff pastry. Set the beef tenderloin on the rice-paper rounds and then pat the mushroom mixture all over the meat. Wrap the rice-papers around the meat to hold the mushrooms in place.

n Bring the long sides of the puff pastry up and over the beef tenderloin, brush the seam with egg wash, and then press to seal. Trim off any excess puff pastry from the short sides and brush with the egg wash. Fold the ends to enclose the beef tenderloin and then set the package on a lightly greased baking sheet, seam-side down. Brush with egg wash. If desired, cut out leaves or other decorations from the pastry scraps and glue them on with egg wash; brush the decorations with egg wash, too.

n Bake the beef tenderloin for 30 minutes and then cover loosely with foil to prevent the pastry from getting too dark. Continue baking until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the meat reads 120 degrees for rare. Transfer the tenderloin to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.

n Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet used to brown the meat. Add the sweet onion, carrot and shallot and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Add 2Ú3 of the pinot noir and simmer, scraping up the brown bits, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

n Add the remaining 1 cup of pinot noir and the ruby port and simmer over moderate heat until reduced by half again, about 7 minutes.

n Cut the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter into small pieces. Pour the sauce through a fine sieve into a small saucepan. Set the saucepan over low heat and gradually whisk in the remaining butter.

n Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Carve the beef into thin slices and serve hot; pass the sauce separately.

Note 1: To make creme fraiche (makes 1 cup)

1 cup heavy cream

21Ú2 teaspoons buttermilk

In a tightly covered jar, shake cream and buttermilk at least 1 minute. Let stand at room temperature for at least 8 hours, until thick. Store in refrigerator. Will keep for 4-6 weeks.

Note 2: Rice paper becomes translucent and pleasantly chewy after being moistened with water. It is available at KCK Mini-Mart (on Fairview Drive), Asian groceries and some supermarkets.