Individual Beef Wellington Puff Pastry Bites over a Brandy Cherry Reduction Sauce

Makes Appx 30 Bites | An inventive twist on a classic using cubed filet mignon, parsley mint pesto, and puff pastry. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ lbs. Filet Mignon, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 T good olive oil
1 t kosher salt + ¼ t black pepper
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
¼ C flour to dust work surface for rolling out pastry
½ C half n half or heavy cream
2 t poppy seeds to garnish
Pesto and Cherry Reduction recipes below

Pesto:

Large handful of Italian parsley that when bunched is about 1 C
Medium handful of fresh mint, stems trimmed, that when bunched is about 1/3 C
2 large cloves garlic peeled
½ small shallot
1 t kosher salt + ½ t black pepper
1/3 C fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1/3 to ½ C good olive oil, or enough to moisten

Cherry Brandy Reduction:

1, 12-ounce bottle of cherry preserves
2 T good brandy
2 t fig balsamic

METHOD:

• Bring the cherry preserves, brandy, and fig balsamic to a bubble in a small saucepan. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool down.
• Make pesto by adding the parsley, mint, garlic, shallot, salt and pepper, and a little of the oil in a small food processor. Blend until pieces are all chopped. Add a little more oil and the cheese. Blend again. Add more oil until you can blend on high, and everything comes together. Should resemble a thick paste. Set aside.
• Prep beef into cubes. (Make sure meat is room temperature.) Bring a large saucepan to very high heat and add the oil. Add the beef and salt and pepper and sauté just until browned a bit on each side. About 2 minutes or so. Do NOT cook through. Remove and put in a bowl and let rest for about 5 minutes at least. Make sure and drain the juices off before adding to puff pastry.
• Roll out the puff pastry sheets on a floured surface to about a 12-inch by 12-inch square. Cut into about 16 squares each sheet.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• To assemble, place about ½ a teaspoon of the pesto in the center. Place a piece of beef over the pesto. Moisten two sides of the square and fold over into a triangle. Then bring each side over and then the other corner in. Like a diaper fold. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, brush with a bit of the cream, and sprinkle with some poppy seeds. (Can do in two batches.)
• Put sheet with pastry bites in the freezer for 5-8 minutes to chill. Then put in preheated oven and bake for about 12-18 minutes until bites are brown and puffed.
• Serve immediately over the slurry of the cherry brandy reduction.