Beef Wellington

FOR THE MUSHROOM DUXELLES

1 tbsp vegetable oil 160g portobello mushrooms, finely chopped, stems and gills removed

30g unsalted butter, softened

35g shallots, finely chopped

1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1

Heat your grill up and brush mushrooms lightly with oil. Place on the grill and cook until marked and softened, about 3 minutes each side. Remove and allow to cool. Once cooled, place into a food processor and blend until finely chopped. Place into a bowl.

2

Melt the butter and add the shallots and saute, stirring often, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms, stirring well, and move pan over to medium heat.

3

Cook until mushrooms are down to a thick, almost black mixture, for about 7 minutes. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl and allow to cool.

FOR THE RUBY PORT GRAVY

3 cups beef stock,

½ cup ruby port

1 tsp cornflour or flour Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp cold unsalted butter

1

Bring the beef stock to the boil, add port and continue to gently boil until the total liquid is again about one cup – about 3 minutes.

2

In a small cup, mix 2tbsp of liquid and cornflour (or flour) together. Then whisk into the pan. Simmer for a few minutes on medium low heat. Set aside in a warm place until ready to serve.

SERVES 4

FOR ASSEMBLY

4 pieces 28-day matured fillet steaks Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp vegetable oil

Reserved mushroom duxelles

85g chicken liver pate

12 slices of Parma ham

2½ packets of Greenvale puff pastry 1 large egg, lightly beaten

1

Heat up your grill smoker. Place the fillets on the hot grill, and sear evenly all over, about 30-45 seconds for all sides. Transfer fillets to a tray and set aside.

2

In a medium bowl, mix the pate and the duxelles together fully until they form a paste. Season to taste.

3

Lay double-layered cling film on a clean surface and cut into square shapes. Lay three slices of Parma ham, then spread pate mixture evenly across the Parma ham surface. Place the fillets in centre.

4

Gather the four corners of the cling film and carefully wrap around the fillet, pressing and moulding it into a ball shape as you twist/tighten the cling film. Place the ball-shaped wrapped fillets on tray with seam side down. Place in the fridge and repeat this process for the other 3 fillets.

5

Unroll puff pastry, cut to measure, give or take four 12cm diameter circles and four 16cm diameter circles.

6

Take out the beef fillets from the fridge, remove the cling film, and place in the centre of the pastry, seam side down. Egg wash the wrapped beef fillet and lay the larger puff pastry circle on top of the wrapped beef filet.

7

Place fillet on the tray and repeat the process for the other three fillets then pop in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes, and up to three hours to firm up.

8

At least 30 minutes before cooking, heat up your grill smoker, with pizza stone in, to 245C.

9

When ready to cook, reduce temperature to 220C, brush Wellington fillets with remaining beaten egg and place on to hot pizza stone. Bake for about 20 minutes for medium rare.

10

Transfer to a carving board and let the Wellingtons rest for 10 minutes them serve with port gravy.