BEEF WELLINGTON FOR 2

PUFF PASTRY, SPINACH PANCAKES & MUSHROOM PÂTÉ

Serves 2 • Total 1 hour 30 minutes

• 1 red onion

• 250g mixed mushrooms

• 1 x 230g quality fillet steak

• Sea salt and black pepper

• Olive oil

• ½ a bunch of thyme (10g)

• 2 large free-range eggs

• 1 mug of plain flour, plus extra

for dusting

• 100g baby spinach

• 1 x 320g sheet of all-butter puff pastry

Peel the onion and chop with the mushrooms. Put a 30cm non-stick pan on a high heat. Season the steak with sea salt and plenty of black pepper and rub with 1tsp olive oil. Turning with tongs, sear the steak all over for 2 minutes in total, then put on a plate. Return the pan to a medium heat with the onion and mushrooms. Strip the thyme leaves off the stalk and add them to the pan. Cook for 15 minutes, or until soft, stirring regularly. Blitz in a food processor until spreadable, season, and remove. Blitz 1 egg, the flour, spinach, a pinch of salt and 1 mug of water in the processor until smooth. Put the pan back on a medium heat, rub with oil, then pour in a thin layer of batter. Cook for 1 minute on each side without colour. Tip on to a plate to cool. Cover the leftover batter and chill for a breakfast pancake.

Preheat the oven to 240°C/fan 220°C/gas 8. Sit your pancake on a sheet of clingfilm and spread the mushroom pâté over. Place the steak in the centre, then gather up the clingfilm and twist into a parcel. Sit the wrapped steak (clingfilm discarded) on the pastry, 2cm from one side. Lightly beat the remaining egg and brush it all over the pastry, then fold and mould the excess over the wrapped steak, leaving a pastry border around it. Trim to 2cm, pinch the edges to seal, brush with beaten egg, and decorate with the trimmings, if you like. Cook on the bottom shelf of the oven for 25 minutes, until golden on top and crispy underneath, for blushing, juicy beef. Rest for 2 minutes, then serve.