Mushroom- lled beef llet with port sauce

SERVES 6 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES (+ STANDING AND COOLING TIME)

20g dried porcini mushrooms

4 cloves garlic, peeled

200g Swiss brown mushrooms

200g cup or button mushrooms

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons sea salt flakes

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1.8kg eye fillet of beef, trimmed

1 cup (250ml) port watercress, to serve

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).

2 Place the porcini in a heatproof bowl; add 1 ½ cups hot water. Stand for 10 minutes, then strain over a jug. Reserve the liquid (about 1 cup). In a food processor, finely chop the garlic. Add the porcini, Swiss brown and cup mushrooms; process until the size ranges between a coarse breadcrumb and the fingernail of your pinkie.

3 In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, place 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the mushroom and garlic mixture, thyme leaves, half the salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes.

The mixture will initially release moisture, then will dry up and eventually turn golden and take on a paste-like consistency. Remove from the pan; cool.

4 Lay the beef fillet perpendicular to yourself on a board. Using a sharp knife, slice the meat lengthways toward you, about one-third from the left side and about two-thirds deep. Spread the small flap out to the left. Gently repeat this process with the large piece of meat on the right, butter-flying and laying it out another 2-3 times so you have a fairly wide piece of meat.

5 Spread the cooled mushroom mixture over the meat and tie back into a roll with butcher’s string. Season the base then flip the beef uncut-side up in a heavy-based baking dish. Splash the remaining oil over and under the beef and sprinkle remaining salt and pepper on top.

6 Roast, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Cover with foil; rest for 30 minutes. Transfer beef to a carving board, cover with foil to keep warm. Place the baking dish on the stove top over medium-high heat. Pour in the reserved porcini liquid and the port. Boil, while scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook to a syrupy consistency, then pour into a serving jug.

7 Slice beef thickly. Serve with the port sauce and watercress. Not suitable to freeze or microwave.