Who says hospital food has to be bad?

There are many reasons people don”™t want to stay in a hospital, especially over the holidays. One of reasons can be the food. But that needn”™t be the case, said Northwell Health. The system”™s”¯two Westchester County hospitals, Northern Westchester in Mount Kisco and Phelps in Tarrytown, have been serving restaurant-quality food to patients and staff since 2018. That”™s due in large part to a systemwide initiative implemented by”¯Michelin-star chef Bruno Tison, who is”¯vice president and corporate chef at Northwell Health.  

Tison immediately hired Michelin-star chef Andrew Cain as regional executive chef for both hospitals. The transformation has lifted patients and staff alike into the world of fresh,”¯natural, locally grown”¯foods. 

Chef Cain has graciously shared with us his take on Beef Wellington, a classic that we”™re sure to see on many holiday tables this season: 

Ingredients 

A 2 ½- to 3-pound center-cut beef tenderloin  

2 teaspoons course sea salt 

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Oil for searing 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

3 tablespoons finely minced shallots 

1 pound of white-button mushrooms, stems removed and finely chopped 

¼ cup dry white wine 

All-purpose flour for dusting 

1 pound of frozen puff pastry, thawed 

1 large egg, lightly beaten 

Additional course sea salt for sprinkling (optional) 

Directions: 

  1. Tie the tenderloin with kitchen twine in 1-inch increments to form an even cylindrical shape.   
  1. Warm a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Season the beef with 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.  Add a few tablespoons of oil to the pan and then add the prepared beef tenderloin.  Sear the beef until well browned on all sides, including the ends. 
  1. Transfer the tenderloin to a sheet pan fitted with a roasting rack, or a cutting board with drainage. Allow the tenderloin to rest until cool.  Cut and remove all of the kitchen twine from the tenderloin and discard.  Chill the tenderloin until ready to assemble and the beef is cold, at least 1 hour or overnight in the refrigerator.   
  1. Meanwhile, in an additional skillet, warm the butter over medium heat.  Add the shallots, cooking them until they become soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms. Season with the remaining teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper.  Add the white wine and continue to cook until the mixture is dry, about 5 minutes more.  Cool at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to a day. 
  1. On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a rectangle ¼ inch thick and large enough to enclose the beef.   If using store-bought puff pastry, it may be necessary to lay out 2 pieces, overlapping, and roll them into one piece.  Spread the top of the tenderloin evenly with half the mushroom mixture. 
  1. Carefully invert the coated tenderloin into the middle of the puff pastry, mushroom-side down.  Spread remaining mushrooms over the top and sides of the tenderloin.  Fold the long sides of the dough to enclose the tenderloin, brushing the edges of the dough with the beaten egg to seal. (Trim the ends if necessary, then fold up and seal.) Carefully transfer the tenderloin, seam-side down, to a baking sheet, and chill at least 2 hours or overnight.   

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Place a baking sheet in the middle rack in the oven until hot, about 15 minutes. Decorate the top of the puff pastry (if desired) by lightly scoring it with a fork or knife. Brush the top of the dough with the beaten egg wash. Cut 2 to 3 slits in the pastry to allow steam to vent out during the cooking process.  Sprinkle the prepared dough with sea salt if desired.  Carefully transfer the prepared Wellington to the preheated baking sheet. 

  1. Bake the Wellington until the pastry is golden brown and the beef registers 118 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit for medium rare, or 125 to 130 for medium (about 30 to 40 minutes).  Cover the pastry with foil if it begins to get too brown while cooking.  Let the finished Wellington rest on a cutting board for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing with a sharp knife.   

Optional:             

 Classic Beef Wellington is prepared with a duck- or pork-liver pâté spread on the meat before applying the mushrooms. Not everyone cares for the flavor of pâté so this step can be omitted. 

 You can also arrange thinly sliced prosciutto ham atop a sheet of plastic wrap, then spread your mushroom mixture evenly atop the ham, add your tenderloin and use the plastic to wrap the beef. Don”™t forget to remove the wrap before securing the beef with the pastry. The dish serves eight.