Recipe: Beef Filet Souvarov

Name: Beef Filet Souvarov
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: in fine puff pastry crustBeef filet Souvarov for 8 people:; a beef filet heart of 3.25 lb (1.5 kg) well trimmed; 14 oz (400 gr) of duck foie gras block; 10.5 oz (300 gr) of cleaned Paris mushrooms; 0.3 cup (6 cl) of fresh cream; 1/2 lemon juice; 0.7 oz (20 gr) of cornstarch; 2 egg yolks; 1.1 oz (30 gr) of truffle pieces; 14 oz (400 gr) of butter puff pastry; butter and oil

By chef patrick Asfaux 4.9/5 (27 reviews) · 🍳 19 made it

Prep 30 min

Cook 45 min

Total 1h15

Servings 8 serv.

Beef Filet Souvarov is a 1.5 kg tenderloin opened like a book, stuffed with duck foie gras and mushroom duxelles with truffle pieces, then wrapped in puff pastry. After pan-searing, it bakes for 25 minutes at 210°C. A showstopper for special dinners that demands precision timing.

Ingredients for 8 servings

Adjust for

servings

in fine puff pastry crust

Beef filet Souvarov for 8 people:
a beef filet heart of 3.25 lb (1.5 kg) well trimmed
14 oz (400 gr) of duck foie gras block
10.5 oz (300 gr) of cleaned Paris mushrooms
0.3 cup (6 cl) of fresh cream
1/2 lemon juice
0.7 oz (20 gr) of cornstarch
2 egg yolks
1.1 oz (30 gr) of truffle pieces
14 oz (400 gr) of butter puff pastry
butter and oil

Step-by-step directions

1 Cut your mushrooms into mirepoix fine (small dice). put them in a saucepan with half lemon juice and truffle pieces, fresh cream, salt, pepper and let cook until there is no more liquid.

2 Separately, dilute the cornstarch with a spoonful of cold water and the egg yolks.

3 When your mushrooms are reduced pour this preparation and without stopping stirring with a spatula put back on the heat for 2 minutes (thickening) then transfer to a small plate and let cool.

4 Open your beef filet up to 4/5 the filet on the thickness (stop 2cm from the edge so that you can close it like a sandwich then salt and pepper inside and outside

5 Place inside the filet a layer of mushrooms, then the foie gras then the 2nd layer of mushrooms.
close the filet and tie it up.

6 In a large pan put a knob of butter and a few drops of oil then when the whole becomes "meunière" color roast it (it just needs to have color on all sides) and
let it cool and then put it in the freezer for 5 minutes.

7 Turn on your oven to 410°F (210°c) (6-7)

8 On your work surface, stretch out your puff pastry, put your filet in the center (without forgetting to remove the strings), moisten

A chef's advice

Beef Filet Souvarov is a special-occasion dish, the kind you make for Christmas, a wedding, or when you want to pull out all the stops. Historically it's a classic from 1920s Parisian haute cuisine, named after a Russian general, and it still shows up on formal menus. Cook it in February when winter drags on and you crave serious meat. Foie gras (duck, block form) and truffles (broken pieces) are seasonal: December through February mainly, sometimes into March. Button mushrooms are available year-round. Your tenderloin needs a good butcher who's stripped out the sinews. For sides, go either rich with truffle sauce, or cut the weight with a pepper sauce. Ceps and salsify in autumn, pommes sarladaises (gratin with foie gras) for full classicism, or fresh tagliatelle with truffles and foie gras to lighten up. With wine, pick a structured Bordeaux (Pauillac, Saint-Julien), a fuller Burgundy red (Gevrey-Chambertin, Volnay), or for brightness, a red Sancerre or Loire Pinot noir. You need tannins that won't cave to the foie gras and truffle richness.

Frequently asked questions

How do I keep the puff pastry from detaching during baking?

Wet the pastry edges well before sealing around the beef, and chill the seared fillet for 5 minutes in the freezer. Cold pastry grips better, and the meat's residual warmth ensures even contact without melting the pastry too fast.

Can I prepare the stuffed fillet and wrap it in pastry the day before?

Yes. Stuff, tie, and sear the fillet, then refrigerate it covered up to 24 hours. Wrap in pastry the same day, about 1 hour before baking. Only freeze the wrapped (unbaked) fillet if needed.

Can I use goose foie gras instead of duck?

Absolutely. Goose foie is slightly firmer and richer-flavored. Use the same amount (400g). Stick to solid block, not terrine or spreadable pâté, so it holds shape inside the meat.