Beef Wellington

SERVES 6 PREPARATION: 10 MIN COOKING: 50 MIN CHILLING: 15 MIN

1kg beef fillet, tail (thin end) removed

45ml (3T) oil salt and pepper

250ml (1c) mushrooms

50g butter

200g bacon pieces handful fresh parsley, chopped 1 sprig fresh rosemary

100ml chicken stock

400g puff pastry

1 egg yolk mixed with 2,5ml

(½t) water

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

1 Put a pan on the stove over high heat. Coat the beef with 10ml (2t) of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Sear the fillet on all sides in the hot pan until well-browned. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.

2 Chop the mushrooms until they resemble breadcrumbs.

3 In the meat pan over medium heat, add the remaining oil and butter and fry the bacon until done. Add the mushrooms, parsley and rosemary and cook for 5 minutes. Add the stock and cook until absorbed. Remove the rosemary sprig. Set aside the mushroom mixture to cool.

4 Put a layer of clingfilm over a cutting board and spread with some of the cooled mushroom mixture. Put the fillet on top and cover with the remaining mixture. Roll the clingfilm over the fillet, enclosing the mushroom mixture. Chill for 15 minutes.

5 Cut a 18 x 30cm strip of pastry and put on a baking sheet. Remove the fillet and mushrooms from the clingfilm and put on the pastry. Cut another strip of pastry, this time measuring 28 x 36cm, and brush the edges with eggwash. Cover the fillet and seal the edges.

6 Brush with the eggwash and bake for 25 minutes or until golden and done.