Beef Wellington, the smart version

Every flavour is enhanced here! I use Porcini mushrooms, and I mix pâté and mustard, rather than choosing one of the two. Plus I use the required chilling time to my advantage. Yummy like no other!

Ingredients (serves 2):

• 400gr beef fillet, properly matured

  • TIP: if you are multiplying for more servings, keep in mind that each fillet piece should be 400-500gr in size, no more and no less

• Some olive oil

• 240gr (1 punnet) chestnut mushrooms, or other kind of fresh mushroom (unless you can find real fresh Porcini)

• 55gr dried Porcini mushrooms

• 2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley

• 1 garlic clove (or 2 small ones)

• 200gr parma ham slices (depending how thick/big your slices are: you need to wrap the fillet very well with them)

• 1 rectangular sheet of fresh, chilled puff pastry

• 1 egg

• fine salt

• freshly ground black pepper

• 4 heaped tsp Dijon mustard

• 80gr liver pâté (duck and pork is fine, you don't need to go all out)

  
  

Method:

• Soak the dried porcini in a bowl of boiling water, stir and cover well

• Heat a non stick pan with two 2 Tbsp olive oil

• Using tongs and a stopwatch, sear the fillet (cold from the fridge) on all sides for:

  • 45 secs per each of the two larger sides

  • 40 secs per each of the other two narrow sides

  • 30 secs per each of the ends

• As soon as the fillet is ready, put it onto a plate and set aside (don't leave it to continue cooking in the pan!)

• Clean and finely chop the fresh mushrooms

• Finely chop the garlic then stir-fry until golden in a non stick pan and some olive oil

• Add the fresh mushrooms, the parsley, pepper and salt

• Stir and cover, then let it cook for a few mins

• Drain the porcini mushrooms and gently squeeze them, but retain the liquid (strain the liquid through a fine strainer)

• Finely chop the porcini, then add them to the fresh mushrooms when they're almost ready with some liquid still left to evaporate

• Lay out a long strip of cling film on your table

• Make two rows of Parma ham slices over the cling film, overlapping each other along the long sides, with the tail ends overlapping for the second row

• Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the ham

• Mix the pâté and the Dijon mustard very well in a bowl

• Using your fingers, coat the seared fillet with the mixture really well on all sides

• Place the fillet 3-4cm from the short edge of the rectangle of ham and mushrooms

• Slide one hand, palm up, under the cling film of that short end, and wrap it up over the fillet

• For the far side, slide both hands, one on each side, palms up, and lift the cling film with all its goodness and wrap it up over the fillet

• Ensure that no cling film gets trapped between the layers, you want it only wrapped on the outside

• Push the escaping mushrooms back inside the ham layer on the tail ends, and lift up the ham to close as a parcel

• Wrap the cling film well on all sides and cut it off the roll

• Make a second long strip of cling film and place your parcel at the edge

• Roll it up very tightly and then put it in the fridge overnight or for 24 hours

  
  

• Preheat on the oven and ensure it reaches 210 degrees C

• Remove your puff pastry sheet from the fridge and unroll it quickly, then place the fillet along one of the short edges (unwrapped from the cling film of course)

• Wrap the puff pastry around and over the fillet, sealing the edges by gently pinching with your fingers (don't add any liquid, it will seal)

• Beat the egg in a bowl, brush the fillet liberally all over, then make diagonal cuts with a very sharp knife taking care to just score the surface—do not cut through the ham layer underneath

• Reduce the temperature to 200 degrees, then place the fillet in the oven over baking paper for 25-30 mins until the pastry looks golden

• Use large spatulas, and carefully transfer the cooked Wellington onto a sheet of tin foil, wrap it tightly and place a towel over it to keep warm, to rest for 10 mins

• Cut the Wellington in quite thick slices and serve

NOTE: We have coloured lights in the kitchen, so this picture doesn't show it properly: the meat is a very deep pink with a tiny red center