BEEF WELLINGTON
Serves 6
Takes 1 hr 20 mins
Ingredients
1kg/2lb fillet of beef, well trimmed
1 tbsp olive oil
75g/3oz butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
350g/12oz mushrooms, finely chopped
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1 pinch of nutmeg
500g/18oz store-bought puff pastry, defrosted if frozen
1 egg, beaten
Method
Heat the oil and 50g/2oz of the butter in a small pan, add the onion and shallots and cook until transparent. Add the mushrooms, seasoning and nutmeg. Stir over a moderate heat until all moisture from mushrooms has evaporated. Transfer to a plate to cool.
Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan. Season the beef then brown in on all sides. This should take about 5 mins. Allow to cool while you roll the pastry into an oblong shape, large enough to wrap around the beef. Spread the cold mushrooms mixture over the pastry leaving a 2cm border all around. Moisten the edges with beaten egg. Place the cooled meat in the centre and wrap the pastry around it. Seal the edges and place on a baking tray, with the seal underneath. Use the pastry trimmings to make leaves for decoration, brush with a little egg and place on top of the parcel. Brush the parcel with the rest of the beaten egg.
Preheat oven to 230C/210C fan-oven/Gas mark 8
Chill in the fridge for 20 mins to allow the pastry to rest before baking. Then place in preheated oven. After 10 mins turn the temperature down to 200C/180C fan-oven/Gas mark 6 for a further 25 mins. The beef will be medium rare at this stage. Cook for 5 mins less if you like it rare.
Serve with roast potatoes and vegetables with you can cook in the oven at the same time as the beef.
