Chard and Herb Pie

  
Another winner from Ottolenghi, and it’s perfect for meatless Monday! This is a tasty veggie treat!

Ingredients:
3 TBSP olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 bunch on chard, stems removed and chopped
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
5 spring onion, chopped
3 c arugula leaves
1 bunch of parsley, chopped
1/2 c mint, chopped
1/4 c dill, chopped
4 oz ricotta
4 oz mature cheddar, grated
2oz feta, crumbled
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs, lightly beaten 
⅓ tsp salt
½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
10 sheets phyllo

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat, add onions and cook until soft. Add the celery and cook 2 more minutes. Add chard and cook until soft about 5 minutes. Add herbs and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Stir in cheeses, eggs and pepper.

Spray a pie pan with olive oil. Layer the phyllo so it hangs over and can be folded over the top, brushing or spraying each piece of Phyllo with olive oil. Fill with chard mixture. Fold the overhanging phyllo over the top and brush or spray with olive oil. 

Bake for 40 minutes.

Serves 4.

  

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Phyllo Wrapped Fillets with Cheese and Mushrooms

This one is from Fine Cooking. It is quite a bit of work, but worth the effort for a special meal.

Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh white button or cremini mushrooms, cleaned
2 medium shallots
1 clove garlic, cut in half
2 TBSP unsalted butter
1 TBSP olive oil
1/4 c chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper
6 filets mignons, 6 oz. each and about 1-3/4 inches thick
Salt
1 TBSP unsalted butter
1 cakes peppercorn Boursin cheese
1 package phyllo dough, thawed in the refrigerator overnight
1/2 c unsalted butter, melted; more if needed
1/4 c thinly sliced fresh chives

Put the mushrooms, shallots and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not puréed; scrape the bowl as needed. Transfer the chopped mushrooms to the center of a clean dishtowel.

Heat the butter and oil in a 10-inch skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are very soft and fragrant and the liquid has evaporated, 5 – 8 minutes. Add the parsley; season with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste.

Season the filets mignons generously on all sides with salt. Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat until very hot and sizzling. Sear the fillets on sides. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Remove at least 24 sheets of phyllo from the package and cut to size that will wrap around the beef. Cover them with -plastic wrap and a damp dishtowel while you work to keep them from drying out.

Lay a single phyllo sheet on a clean, dry surface. With a pastry brush, lightly paint an even coat of the melted butter over the entire surface of the square. Sprinkle with about 1/2 tsp. of the chives. Set a second sheet over the first. Brush butter over it as well and sprinkle with another 1/2 tsp. chives.
Make four layers, omitting the chives from the last layer. Blot one filet dry with a paper towel, set it in the center and sprinkle it with salt. Spread about 2 TBSP of the Boursin on the filet and top that with 2 generous TBSP of the mushroom filling. Fold the phyllo over the fillet to make a package and place on parchment lined baking pan. Repeat with the remaining fillets. Don’t worry if you tear the phyllo it’s very forgiving. Keep in the fridge until ready to bake.

Take them out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before you’re ready to bake them.

Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

Bake them for 17 – 22 min rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes to ensure evening browning, until an instant-read thermometer inserted through the side of each packet and into the center of the filet reads 130°F for medium rare.

Serves 6.

Phyllo Wrapped Tenderloin

For Christmas dinner I got super fancy! This recipe was adapted from fine cooking I made quite a few changes. I used top sirloin steaks and pate. It was amazing! Don’t worry if the phyllo gives you issues, it will look beautiful in the end.

Ingredients:
1 lb cremini mushrooms, cleaned
2 medium shallots
1 clove garlic
2 TBSP butter
1/4 c parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

For the croustades:
6 top sirloin steaks , 6 oz. each and about 1-3/4 inches thick
Salt
1 TBSP unsalted butter
1 TBSP vegetable oil
8 oz pate
1-lb. package phyllo dough, thawed in the refrigerator overnight
1/2 c butter, melted; more if needed
1/4 c thinly sliced fresh chives

For the filling:
Trim the mushroom stems close to the caps. Put the mushrooms, shallots and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not puréed; scrape the bowl as needed.

Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are very soft and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Don’t let them brown. Uncover and cook until the pan is mostly dry, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the parsley; season with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste. T

For the croustades:
Season the filets mignons generously on all sides with salt. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot and sizzling.

Put three of the filets in the pan and sear on one side until well browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn and brown the other side. Then quickly sear along the sides, using tongs to turn, about another 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining filets. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

To assemble: Mash pate with a fork in a small bowl until spreadable. Remove at least 24 sheets of phyllo from the package and cut them into
10-inch squares. Cover them with -plastic wrap and a damp dishtowel while you work to keep them from drying out. Lay a single phyllo sheet on a clean, dry surface. With a pastry brush, lightly paint an even coat of the melted butter over the entire surface of the square. Sprinkle with about 1/2 tsp. of the chives. Set a second sheet at a 90-degree angle over the first. Brush butter over it as well and sprinkle with another 1/2 tsp. chives.

Make four layers, omitting the chives from the last layer, with the corners of the phyllo pointing in different directions, starlike. Blot one filet dry with a paper towel, set it in the center of the star, and sprinkle it with salt. Spread about 2 Tbs. of the Boursin on the filet and top that with 2 generous Tbs. of the mushroom filling.

Pick a starting point and work your way around the filet, gathering the edges of the phyllo star together, beggar’s purse style. Lightly pinch together the gathered phyllo close to the surface of the meat to hold it in place. Pull the corners open slightly as if making a paper flower. Brush the whole exposed surface lightly with more butter, being sure that the bottom is buttered as well. Transfer to a heavy baking sheet. Repeat this “packaging’” for the remaining filets. If you’re working ahead, chill the filets uncovered on the baking sheet until ready to bake, up to 8 hours.

To bake: Take the croustades out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before you’re ready to bake them. Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Bake the croustades, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes to ensure evening browning, until an instant-read thermometer inserted through the side of each packet and into the center of the filet reads 130°F for medium rare, 17 to 22 min. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.