I know I'm late, but I was out all day and just saw this now. So for future reference, unbaked is the way to go. Once the beef has been browned, it needs to be fully cooled before wrapping in the puff pastry. It won't be sticky. I've often prepared beef wellington and a chicken version early in the day and refrigerated it and not baked it until dinner time. I've never had a problem with it going to sticky or soggy. Ann

this is the recipe i've used several times, from the epicurious.com site--the only thing i did differently was to serve it with bernaise sauce. we consider it to be a really wonderful and special meal. enjoy! FILLET OF BEEF WELLINGTON Some say it was his favorite meal, and others claim it resembled the boots that he wore. Whatever the case may be, the Duke of Wellington has a grand dish named after him, which became the entertaining extravaganza of the 1960s. a 3 1/2-pound fillet of beef tied with thin sheets of larding fat at room temperature 3/4 pound mushrooms, chopped fine 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 pound pé de foie gras (available at specialty foods shops) at room temperature 1 pound puff paste (page 196) or thawed frozen puff pastry plus additional for garnish if desired 1 large egg white beaten an egg wash made by beating 1 large egg yolk with 1 teaspoon of water 1/2 cup Sercial Madeira 2 teaspoons arrowroot dissolved in 1 teaspoon cold water 1/2 cup beef broth 2 tablespoons finely chopped black truffles (available at specialty food shops) if desired watercress for garnish if desired In a roasting pan roast the beef in the middle of a preheated 400°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the thermometer registers 120°F. Let the fillet cool completely and discard the larding fat and the strings. Skim the fat from the pan juices and reserve the pan juices. In a heavy skillet cook the mushrooms in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until all the liquid they give off is evaporated and the mixture is dry, season them with salt and pepper, and let them cool completely. Spread the fillet evenly with the pâté de foie gras, covering the top and sides, and spread the mushrooms evenly over the pâté de foie gras. On a floured surface roll 1 pound of the puff paste into a rectangle about 20- by 12- inches, or large enough to enclose the fillet completely, invert the coated fillet carefully under the middle of the dough, and fold up the long sides of the dough to enclose the fillet brushing the edges of the dough with some of the egg white to seal them. Fold ends of the dough over the fillet and seal them with the remaining egg white. Transfer the fillet, seam side down to a jelly-roll pan or shallow roasting pan and brush the dough with some of the egg wash. Roll out the additional dough and cut the shapes with decorative cutters. Arrange the cutouts on the dough decoratively, brush them with the remaining egg wash, and chill the fillet for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours. Bake the fillet in the middle of a preheated 400°F oven for 30 minutes, reduce the heat to 350°, and bake the fillet for 5 to 10 minutes more, or until the meat thermometer registers 130°F. for medium-rare meat and the pastry is cooked through. Let the fillet stand for 15 minutes. In a saucepan boil the reserved pan juices and the Madeira until the mixture is reduced by one fourth. Add the arrowroot mixture, the broth, the truffles, and salt and pepper to taste and cook the sauce over moderate heat, stirring, being careful not to let it boil, for 5 minutes, or until it is thickened. Loosen the fillet from the jelly-roll pan, transfer it with two spatulas to a heated platter, and garnish it with watercress. Serve the fillet, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices, with the sauce. Serves 8. Gourmet January 1991

First time, I didn't like it at all. Second time, and twenty years later, it tasted pretty darned good. I also like smoked mullet roe. Now that's a treat! We used to go to a little cheese shop in Belleaire that had the best soft cheese with red caviar. We both got a little addicted to it.

If I were served Wellington and Hasselback potatoes, I'd be picking through looking for less starchy fatty, and more undressed vegetables. I agree with plllog, I would keep it light/less starchy. My first thought was roasted brussel sprouts, or green beans. Then I decided to search on line just for fun to see what others paired the BW with. Here's what I found. Gordan Ramsey - Roasted carrots (several calls for carrots) Broccoli Brussel sprouts Fresh beets, boiled or roasted with balsamic glaze Carrot puree Grilled fresh asparagus Roasted parsnips Tyler Florence - Warm wilted winter greens Sauteed kale Your dinner sounds yummy, wish I was coming. ;)