British

Beef Wellington

A small centre-cut beef fillet is seared, wrapped with mushroom duxelles, pâté, ham, a thin pancake, and golden puff pastry. Serve it in thick slices with resting juices or a classic red wine gravy.

Ingredients

• Centre-cut beef fillet350g
• Fine sea salt1 tsp
• Black pepper1/2 tsp
• Vegetable oil1 tbsp
• English mustard2 tsp
• Chestnut mushrooms, very finely chopped250g
• Shallot, finely chopped1 small
• Garlic clove, minced1
• Unsalted butter25g
• Fresh thyme leaves1 tsp
• Madeira or dry sherry2 tbsp
• Chicken liver pâté60g
• Thin cured ham or prosciutto4 slices
• Plain flour40g
• Egg1
• Milk90ml
• Ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry250g
• Egg yolk, beaten with 1 tsp water1

Method

1. Pat the beef dry, season it all over with salt and pepper, then sear it in the hot vegetable oil for 45 to 60 seconds on each side until browned but still raw inside.
2. Brush the hot beef with English mustard, place it on a rack, and chill it while you make the fillings.
3. Cook the mushrooms, shallot, garlic, butter, thyme, and a pinch of salt in a wide pan over medium-high heat until all moisture has evaporated and the mixture is dark and paste-like.
4. Add the Madeira or sherry and cook again until completely dry, then spread the duxelles on a plate to cool fully.
5. Whisk the flour, egg, milk, and a pinch of salt into a smooth batter, then cook one or two very thin pancakes in a lightly buttered pan and let them cool.
6. Lay cling film on the worktop, arrange the ham slices in an overlapping rectangle, and spread the cooled duxelles over the ham.
7. Spread the chicken liver pâté over the mustard-coated beef, place it on the duxelles, and roll the ham tightly around it using the cling film.
8. Wrap the roll in the cooled pancake to make a moisture barrier, then chill for 15 minutes until firm.
9. Roll the puff pastry slightly thinner, unwrap the beef parcel, place it seam-side up on the pastry, and wrap neatly, trimming excess pastry and sealing the seam with egg yolk wash.
10. Place the Wellington seam-side down on a lined baking tray, brush all over with egg yolk wash, score the pastry lightly without cutting through, and chill for 20 minutes.
11. Heat the oven to 220°C, then bake the Wellington for 22 to 26 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and the centre reaches 50 to 52°C for medium-rare.
12. Rest the Wellington uncovered for 10 minutes before slicing into two thick portions with a sharp serrated knife.

Common questions