Beef Wellington

What you need

Ingredients

• 900g beef fillet (center cut), trimmed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp English mustard
• 400g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g prosciutto slices
• 500g puff pastry
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to make it

Directions

1. Season the fillet generously with salt and pepper. Sear in a smoking-hot pan with the olive oil, about 90 seconds per side including the ends, until browned all over. Brush with mustard and chill 20 minutes.
2. Cook the mushrooms, shallots, and garlic with the thyme in the same pan over medium-high heat until all the moisture has evaporated and the mixture is dry and dark, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
3. Lay a sheet of cling film on the worktop. Overlap the prosciutto into a rectangle large enough to wrap the fillet. Spread the mushroom duxelles evenly over it.
4. Place the fillet along one edge and use the cling film to roll it up tightly into a log. Twist the ends and chill 15 minutes to set.
5. Roll the puff pastry into a rectangle on a floured surface. Unwrap the beef log, place it on the pastry, brush the pastry edges with beaten egg, and roll up, sealing the seam underneath. Trim excess pastry.
6. Brush all over with beaten egg, score lightly with the back of a knife, and chill 20 minutes.
7. Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan). Brush with egg again, then bake 35 to 40 minutes until the pastry is deeply golden. A thermometer should read 55C for medium rare.
8. Rest 10 minutes before slicing thickly with a sharp serrated knife.