The Unique Ingredient You Should Add To Beef Wellington, According To Kevin O'Leary

Beef Wellington is a dish that may come to mind when you think of elegant classics – timeless culinary testaments that are meant to be respected, and done right. The English dish (arguably made famous in the modern era by Gordon Ramsay) consists of a beef tenderloin that's often coated with pâté and a sauteed mix of mushrooms, onions, shallots, garlic, and parsley, and then wrapped in a puff pastry before baking to perfection in the oven.

It's a masterful but challenging feat to pull off. Because it's easy to make mistakes when cooking beef Wellington, most people might not even think of trying to change up the classic recipe. But not everyone – and if there's anyone who's not afraid to put his own spin on a tried-and-tested dish, it's Kevin O'Leary, also known as Chef Wonderful. The "Shark Tank" investor and self-proclaimed chef and foodie is all about making your own rules for success, in the kitchen and beyond. And while speaking exclusively with Mashed, he shared some of his secrets for taking recipes to the next level his own way, including beef Wellington.

"I don't think I've ever made beef Wellington the same way twice," he proudly pronounced. And one of his favorite additions to this meaty main course may surprise you – cranberry sauce. You may have reserved this bright bold condiment for your holiday spread, but O'Leary says it's just the right flavor component to take beef Wellington to another world.

A well-cooked beef Wellington is rich in salty, succulent, umami flavors – only aided by the buttery notes of the flaky crust. So what can you bring to those beefy flavors to simultaneously cut through and complement them? Something bright and tart and sweet like cranberry sauce, says Kevin O'Leary.

It may sound unorthodox, but that's the whole point. "People always say, 'A tart cranberry sauce would only go with turkey or chicken,'" Chef Wonderful acknowledges, but he says the flavor balance is unexpectedly delightful. "You can crush cranberries, or use a premade sauce. I like to make my own to put less sugar in it," he notes. He coats the meat with a layer of the fruity sauce before wrapping it in the puff pastry and it all cooks together in the oven. "It's forbidden, but I don't care ... I can do anything I want. That's the Chef Wonderful way."

O'Leary suggests finishing off this unique take on beef Wellington with some tangy mustard to round out all the sweet and savory notes. What you're left with is beef Wellington unlike you've ever tried. "I think it's interesting ... the color, the texture is unique. You've never seen it before."