BEEF WELLINGTON

Serves 12

A LITTLE EFFORT

GREAT VALUE

Preparation: 25 minutes Cooking: 45 minutes–1 hour

For the mushroom duxelles *: olive oil 3T shallots 4, minced garlic 4 cloves, minced

Portabellini mushrooms 500 g, minced and squeezed of excess water sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Woolworths duck fat 2T beef fillet 1–1.5 kg, trimmed sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Woolworths frozen puff pastry

400 g, thawed for 5 minutes free-range eggs 2, beaten, for glazing

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C. To make the mushroom duxelles*, heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat, then sauté the shallots and garlic until soft. Add the mushrooms and sauté until a paste has formed. Season and chill. 2 Heat the duck fat in a large pan over a high heat until

smoking hot. Season the fillet and sear until sealed all over and slightly caramelised.

3 Unroll the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface, then spread the duxelles onto the pastry to match the size of the fillet. Place the fillet on top. Cover the fillet with the duxelles, then fold the puff pastry over the fillet. Seal any open edges by pinching the pastry together. If you’d like to decorate the pastry with cut-outs, do so now. Brush with the egg and bake for 30 minutes, the pastry should be caramelised and brown. 4 Allow to stand for 15 minutes before portioning. Cook’s note: If you like, add a layer of baby spinach before spreading the duxelles onto the pastry. If you don’t want to make the duxelles, use Woolworths chicken liver pâté instead.

WINE: Tokara Cabernet Sauvignon 2018