Beef Wellington
A dish named after the duke of Wellington, but some say he wasn't the food type so maybe it was named after his boot. Some Wellington's are wrapped in pancakes before covering in puff, the more extravagant older variety was made with Foie Gras and truffle - now your talking!!!
Preparation time: 30 minutes Quantity: Serves 6 Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 kilo/ 2 lb beef fillet
Duxelle -
60g/ 2 oz butter
1 onion -finely diced
2 cloves garlic -crushed
250g/8oz mushrooms - pureed till crumbed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 tablespoon cream
seasoning
3 pancakes (optional)
120g/ 4 oz pate
350g/ 12 oz puff pastry
egg wash (1 egg & touch milk)
Method
- Heat the oil
- Season the fillet and seal in the hot oil, turning every 10-20 seconds till browned on all sides and at the ends
- Leave aside
- Meanwhile heat the butter
- Cook off the onions for 30-40 seconds till soft, without browning the butter
- Add the garlic, cook for a few moments to release flavour
- Add the mushrooms and cook till soft
- Add the thyme, seasoning and cream
- Cook till all the liquid is absorbed and the mushrooms make a soft yet firm pate/duxelle
- Cool slightly
- Roll out the pastry to make 2 rectangles 4-6 cm wider than the fillet
- Choose one for the base (if using pancakes lay out overlapping on the pastry) and spread with the pate 3-5 cm from the edges
- Place the fillet on top
- Wrap/spoon on/pat the duxelle round the fillet, squeezing it on firmly
- Brush the sides of the base with egg wash
- Lay the second sheet of puff pastry over the top pushing down and turning the edges over
- Brush with egg wash
- Place on a greased tray
- Bake in a preheated oven gas 7/220*c for 12 minutes for medium rare or 16 minutes for medium
- Leave to rest -covered in foil for 10 minutes before serving