Sometimes, when dinner rolls around, we all experiment and try to put together something new. Other times, we resort to the classics, maybe not comfort food, but definitely something “established,” and this is one such dish: Beef Wellington. This is timeless: a juicy, tender cut of fillet mignon cooked inside a tight, buttery, flaky package of puff pastry.
INGREDIENTS
– 450 grams of beef fillet
– 450 grams of flat mushrooms
– 5 slices Parma ham
– English mustard (for brushing the meat)
– 225 grams of puff pastry
– 2 egg yolks
– Approximately 10 new potatoes
– 1 clove of garlic (crushed)
– 1 Sprig of thyme
– 1 baby gem lettuce
– Salt and pepper
– Olive oil
– Mustard vinaigrette
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Pre-heat your oven to 200c.
2. Heat a couple of table spoons of olive oil in a large pan before searing the beef all over until brown. Once seared, allow the meat to cool to ensure you keep the flavours and juices in the meat. Brush generously with English mustard once the meat has cooled down.
3. Dice the flat mushrooms and add them to a food blender to form a puree. Add the puree mixture to a hot, dry pan and allow the water to evaporate from the mushrooms. As soon as the mushroom puree starts to stick together removing from the heat and leave to cool in a bowl.
4. Cut a long piece of cling film and stack the slices of Parma ham ensuring they are slightly overlapping one another. Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the ham once the slices are laid out.
5. Place the beef fillet in the middle of the sliced ham and keeping a tight hold of the cling film from the outside edge, neatly roll the Parma ham and mushrooms over the beef into a tight barrel shape. Twist the ends to secure the Clingfilm. Keep this refrigerated for 10 -15 minutes to allow the beef Wellington to set, helping keep its shape.
6. Take the pastry and roll it out fairly thinly to a size which will cover the beef fillet. Unwrap the meat from the cling film. Egg wash the edge of the pastry and place the beef in the middle. Roll up the pastry, cut any excess off the ends and fold neatly to the ‘underside’. Turnover and egg wash over the top. Chill again to let the pastry cool for approximately 5 minutes. Egg wash again before baking at 200c for 35 – 40 minutes. Rest 8 -10 minutes before slicing.
7. Part boil the potatoes in salted water. Quarter them and leave the skin on. Sauté in olive oil and butter with the garlic and thyme, until browned and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and remove the thyme and garlic before serving.
8. Separate the outside leaves of the baby gem (leaving the smaller inner ones for salads) and very quickly sauté them in a pan of olive oil with a little salt and pepper – just enough to wilt them.
9. Serve hearty slices of the Wellington alongside the sautéed potatoes and wilted baby gems. A classic mustard vinaigrette makes a great dressing for this dish too… Enjoy!
