Beef Wellington Recipe

Ingredients –

– 1 x 400g fillet of beef;

– Olive oil;

– 250g of wild mushrooms;

– 1 x sprig of thyme (leaves only);

– 250g of puff pastry;

– 4 x slices of Parma ham;

– 1 x egg yolk, beaten with ½ tbsp water and a pinch of salt;

– Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;

For the red wine sauce –

– 1 tbsp of olive oil;

– 100g of beef trimmings (ask the butcher to reserve these when trimming the fillet);

– 2 x large shallots, peeled and sliced;

– 6 x black peppercorns;

– 1 x bay leaf;

– 1 x sprig of thyme;

– Splash of red wine vinegar;

– ½ a 750ml bottle of red wine;

– 375ml of beef stock;

Method –

1. Wrap the beef tightly in a triple layer of cling film to set its shape, then chill overnight;

2. Remove the cling film, then quickly sear the beef fillets in a hot pan with a little olive oil for 30-60 seconds until browned all over and rare in the middle. Remove from the pan and leave to cool;

3. Finely chop the mushrooms and fry in a hot pan with a little olive oil, the thyme leaves and some seasoning;

4. When the mushrooms begin to release their juices, continue to cook over a high heat for about 10 minutes until all the excess moisture has evaporated and you are left with a mushroom paste (known as a duxelle);

5. Remove the duxelle from the pan and leave to cool;

6. Place the pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll each piece into a rectangle large enough to envelop one of the beef fillets. Chill in the refrigerator;

7. Lay a large sheet of cling film on a work surface and place 4 slices of Parma ham in the middle, overlapping them slightly, to create a square. Spread half the duxelle evenly over the ham;

8. Season the beef fillets, then place them on top of the mushroom-covered ham. Using the cling film, roll the Parma ham over the beef, then roll and tie the cling film to get a nice, evenly thick log. Chill for at least 30 minutes;

9. Brush the pastry with the egg wash. Remove the cling film from the beef, then wrap the pastry around the ham-wrapped fillet. Trim the pastry and brush all over with the egg wash. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes;

10. Meanwhile, make the red wine sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan, then fry the beef trimmings for a few minutes until browned on all sides;

11. Stir in the shallots with the peppercorns, bay leaf and thyme and continue to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallots turn golden brown;
12. Pour in the vinegar and let it bubble for a few minutes until almost dry. Now add the wine and boil until almost completely reduced;
13. Add the stock and bring to the boil again. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour, removing any scum from the surface of the sauce, until you have the desired consistency. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve lined with muslin. Check for seasoning and set aside;
14. When you are ready to cook the beef wellingtons, score the pastry lightly and brush with the egg wash again, then bake at 200°C/Gas 6 for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and cooked. Rest for 10 minutes before carving;
15. Meanwhile, reheat the sauce. Serve the beef wellingtons sliced, with the sauce as an accompaniment.