• Let the beef stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting. Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Melt 5 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the shallots and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the wine, beef broth, thyme sprigs, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, pepper, and sugar, and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by about half.
• Season the beef all over with remaining 2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Heat the oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Cook, turning with tongs until well browned on all but one side, about 10 minutes total. Turn the tenderloin so that the un-seared side is down, and transfer the skillet directly to the preheated oven. (If your pan isn't oven-proof, transfer the beef to a lightly oiled roasting pan.) Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 120°F-125° for medium-rare, about 15 minutes, or until done to your liking (115°F-120°F for rare, 130°F-135°F for medium). Keep in mind that these temperatures account for the fact that the temperature will continue to rise about 5 degrees while the meat rests.
• While the liquid is reducing, place the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl and soften in the microwave, if necessary (it should be soft but not melted). Add the flour and, using a small spoon, mix into a smooth paste.
• Once the wine mixture is reduced, reduce the heat to low and remove the thyme sprigs. Whisk the flour-butter paste, a teaspoonful at a time, into the simmering liquid, and simmer for a few minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Set aside. (The sauce can be made up to this point and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead of time.)
• Transfer the meat to a carving board (preferably with a well for collecting juices) and let it rest, covered loosely with aluminum foil, for 10 to 15 minutes. Place a dish towel or oven mitt over the handle of the roasting pan to remind yourself that it's hot.
• Meanwhile, carefully discard the fat from the roasting pan (remember that the handle is hot!). Set the pan on the stovetop and add the 1/4 cup of beef broth. Bring the broth to a boil, using a wooden spoon to scrape the fond, or brown bits, from the bottom of the pan. Add the flavorful broth to the red wine sauce, and then bring the sauce to a simmer.
• Carve the tenderloin into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Serve the beef, passing the red wine sauce at the table.

• Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Remove bone and tenderloin (reserve for another use-makes stuffing under skin easier), but KEEP SKIN INTACT. Season chicken with salt and pepper; set aside.
• To a large sauté pan set on medium-high heat, add some of the olive oil. Add the spinach and sauté until wilted. Remove from heat and let cool. Note: You may have to do this in batches for 7-10 servings.
• When spinach has cooled squeeze out excess moisture and place in a bowl. Toss with the parmesan or feta cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Divide the spinach mixture into equal portions (depending on number of servings) and stuff under the skin of each chicken breast, being careful to level out the stuffing. Place chicken on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Rub breasts with additional olive oil, then bake for 25-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and the skin is golden brown.
• To serve, slice chicken crosswise at an angle to expose stuffing, fanning out when plating.

Preheat Oven:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. (200 degrees C).

Cream Cheese Mixture:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the room temperature cream cheese, thawed and drained spinach, and shredded cheese. Mix until all of the ingredients are well incorporated. Season this mixture with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Set the filling aside.

Puff Pastry:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the thawed puff pastries sheets into a rectangle.
• Place half of the the cream cheese mixture in the center of each of the puff pastry, leaving some space around the edges.
• Lay the salmon fillets on top of the cream cheese mixture, centered within the puff pastry.
• Season the salmon with salt and pepper to taste.
• Carefully, fold the puff pastry over the salmon and filling to encase it completely. Make sure to seal the edges by pressing them together firmly. Use a little water to help seal, if needed.
• Transfer the Salmon Wellingtons to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, seam side down.
• Using a sharp knife, make a few slits on top of the pastry to allow steam to escape during baking. This will help prevent the pastry from getting soggy.
• In a small bowl, beat an egg to create an egg wash. Brush the top of the pastry with the egg wash to give it a nice golden color when baked.
• Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven, and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown and the salmon is cooked to the desired level of doneness. The internal temperature of the salmon should reach 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius).
• Remove the Salmon Wellington from the oven, and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Service with a lemon wedge.

• Remove steaks from the refrigerator and pat dry with a paper towel. Generously season steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Cover and allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Pre-heat grill if you are grilling steaks.

Make the red wine sauce:

• Place the avocado oil in a large saute pan placed over medium heat. When warm add the garlic and shallots. Saute for about 1 minute, until tender. Add the mushrooms and saute a few more minutes until they have lost most of their moisture.
• Add red wine, balsamic vinegar, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Allow wine mixture to reduce until thickened, about 4 minutes.
• Add in beef stock, and cook over high heat, until the sauce is reduced and thickened by about ½, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat (strain if desired for a smooth sauce). Discard thyme sprigs, then whisk in butter. Adjust seasonings.

Cook the steaks (pan method):

• Heat a large heavy-bottomed (oven-safe if you prefer your steaks medium-well to well done) pan(s) over medium-high heat. When hot add the oil. Carefully place steaks in the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes (depending on thickness). Turn the steaks, and cook for another 5-7 minutes for medium-rare and longer for medium. For well-done steaks, transfer the pan to a 300-degree oven and continue cooking for 10 more minutes. Place steaks on a platter and top each with a tablespoon of butter. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

To grill steaks:

• If you would like to grill the steaks, pre-heat the grill to medium, and when hot brush down to clean. Using an oiled clean rag, wipe the grates to remove any residue. Place the steaks on the grill and cook according to the above times, moving steaks to cooler areas if well-done is desired.

To finish:

• Plate steaks, top with sauce, and garnish with parsley.

• Season chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour and shake off any excess.
• In a large skillet, heat olive oil and melt the butter on medium heat. Swirl pan to coat with oil and butter evenly.
• Brown the chicken (do not overcrowd and work in batches if needed) for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer onto a plate, cover, and set aside.
• Saute the garlic for a minute or until it's fragrant. Add the chicken stock, and deglaze the pan scraping any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
• Adjust the heat to medium-low, and add the heavy cream and the parmesan cheese to the skillet. Allow the sauce to simmer for a couple of minutes, then season with chili flakes, thyme, and oregano.
• Season with salt and pepper to your taste, add the sundried tomatoes then put the chicken back in the sauce and let the sauce simmer and thicken for a few more minutes.
• Garnish with chopped fresh basil leaves and serve warm.

Notes

• Chicken cutlets/steaks are available in most supermarkets, but you can slice a chicken breast in half and get the same result.
• To slice chicken breasts into thin cutlets: Place a chicken breast down flat on a cutting board. Hold one hand flat on top of the breast, and use a sharp knife to cut the breast in half, parallel to the cutting board.
• The cutlets should be about ¼ inch in thickness. If they are thicker than that, use a meat mallet to pound them down thinner.
• Boneless and skinless chicken thighs can be used in place of chicken breasts, but keep in mind that they take longer to cook.
• When sauteing the garlic, add a little bit of sundried tomato oil for more flavor.
• Do not use half and half/single cream as that won't thicken the sauce enough.
• We recommend buying a block of parmesan cheese and grating it yourself. Store-bought parmesan cheese doesn't have much flavor, and doesn't melt well in sauces.

Storing tips

• Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven, you will need to add a splash of water to thin out the sauce as it thickens in the fridge.
• We don't recommend freezing creamy sauces as they change textures to grainy when frozen.