La Cassola del Matarraña at El Convent 1613
Sara and her daughter Candela, from Hotel El Convent 1613 in La Fresneda, prepare a Matarraña-style Beef Wellington using pork tenderloin wrapped in Teruel ham, puff pastry, mushrooms and foie gras.
La Cassola del Matarraña travels to La Fresneda, to Hotel El Convent 1613, a family-run establishment lovingly built by Sara, Diana, Ana Marta (sisters) and their parents Ignacia and Mariano. The future of El Convent is in good hands, as today's recipe has been prepared by chef Sara and her daughter Candela, who invite us to make a pork Wellington. It is a delight to see this young Matarraña native handle the kitchen so confidently.
Matarraña-Style Pork Wellington
Ingredients: 1 pork tenderloin, 6 very thin slices of Teruel ham, 1 sheet of puff pastry, 1 onion or 1 handful of shallots, 6 mushrooms, 4 tablespoons of foie gras, salt and oil.
Method
Clean the pork tenderloin, removing all sinew, and set aside. Prepare the filling by finely dicing the onion and mushrooms into brunoise; sauté together with olive oil and salt until tender and golden.
Sear the tenderloin on a very hot griddle on both sides so it releases its juices and won't make the pastry soggy later. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Roll out the puff pastry sheet and arrange the ham slices vertically in the centre. Place the tenderloin on top and spread with foie gras. Finally, top the tenderloin with the onion and mushroom filling.
Seal the pastry tightly around the meat and brush with beaten egg. Place on a baking tray greased with oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for approximately 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.
It can be served whole or sliced into rounds about 3 cm thick. It pairs beautifully with a sweet tomato or apple sauce.