Beef Wellington
This iconic beef dish is full of flavour and is a perfect family meal. I think it is a really special dish, so save it for festive occasions!
Serves: 6
1 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt & pepper, to taste 1kg beef fillet (about 10cm thick) 500g mushrooms, swiss brown or field
20g butter
1 red onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced 3 sprigs thyme or ¼ tsp dried 2 sprig rosemary or ¼ tsp dried 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
375g all-butter puff pastry 100g Parma ham or prosciutto, thinly sliced
1 egg, beaten to make an egg wash
1. Heat a large pan over a moderately high heat. Add olive oil and sear the beef fillet on all sides so it’s golden brown on the outside. You aren’t looking to cook it, just brown it.
2. Set the beef aside on a big plate to cool.
3. In a food processor, finely chop the mushrooms to a large crumb-like texture.
4. Turn the heat down to moderate and add the butter to the same pan you just seared the beef in. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for a few mins to start to soften it. Add the thyme, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce and chopped mushrooms, season and sauté, stirring until all the moisture is absorbed and the mushrooms have softened.
5. Set aside to cool slightly.
6. Once the beef and mushrooms have cooled, preheat the oven to 200°C (fan-forced).
7. Rub the mustard over the beef.
8. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
9. Place the pastry on top of the baking paper and arrange the ham or prosciutto on the pastry (leaving a couple of centimetres on each short edge and also along 1 long edge).
10. Place the mushroom mixture on top of the ham, pressing down to make a firm layer.
11. Place the beef on top and brush the 3 exposed edges with the egg wash.
12. Roll the pastry over the beef, sealing the seam, and fold in the ends. Roll the beef over so the seam side is down.
13. Brush with the egg wash all over the pastry.
14. Place into the oven immediately to cook for 30 mins or until the beef is cooked to your liking. The cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of the fillet. Use a meat thermometer to check if it’s cooked to your liking. The beef in this photo took 30 mins to cook to medium-rare.