Beef Wellington is a dinner party showstopper. Its golden buttery crust alone is enough to provoke oohs and aahs from your guests. Then you slice into it, revealing a glossy layer of mushrooms, rosy-pink prosciutto, and then perfectly cooked blushing red beef.
Ingredients
• frozen puff pastry, preferably all-butter
• 2 medium shallots, chopped.
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 bunch fresh thyme leaves (about 2 teaspoons)
• 500g portobello mushrooms, chopped.
• 1.2 kg whole beef fillet
• 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 to 8 cold slices prosciutto
• 1 large egg
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 1 hour 20 mins
Method
1. In a food processor add shallots, garlic cloves, thyme, and mushrooms. Pulse until finely chopped, making sure to scrap down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Transfer to a medium bowl.
2. Use unwaxed kitchen string to tie the beef at 4cm intervals. Pat dry with paper towel and season all over with 2 teaspoons of the kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the beef and sear, turning occasionally, until browned all over, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the pan on medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the mushroom mixture and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture appears dry, and the mushrooms and bottom of the pan starts to brown, 10 to 20 minutes.
5. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a large plate and spread into an even layer. Refrigerate until chilled, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
6. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 3mm-thick rectangle. Lay the prosciutto on the pastry, overlapping slightly. Spread mushroom mixture over prosciutto. Remove string from beef, then lay the beef on the mushroom. Brush the edges of pastry with egg and fold over to enclose beef. Press edges to seal, and tuck under to form a parcel. Place on a baking tray. Brush all over with egg wash. Chill for 30 mins.
7. Preheat the oven to 220°c. Bake for40- 50 minutes, so that the fillet is medium-rare in the centre and the pastry is golden brown. (Loosely cover the top with aluminium foil if needed if the pastry is browned before the fillet is ready.) Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.