Club Recipe: Beef Wellington

Ingredients: 

• 1kg beef fillet
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 250g chestnut mushrooms
• 50g butter
• 2 tbsp thyme
• 100ml dry white wine
• 12 slices prosciutto
• 500g puff pastry
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp water
• Salt and pepper for seasoning
• Non-stick baking paper

Method

1. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. 
2. Sit the 1kg beef fillet on a roasting tray, brush 1 tbsp olive oil and season with pepper, then roast for 15 mins for medium-rare or 20 mins for medium 25 mins for well done. When the beef is cooked to your liking, remove from the oven to cool, then chill in the fridge for about 20 mins. 
3. While the beef is cooling, chop 250g chestnut mushrooms as finely as possible so they have the texture of coarse breadcrumbs.
4. Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil and 50g butter in a large pan and fry the mushrooms on a medium heat, add 2 tbsp thyme, for about 10 mins stirring often, until you have a softened mixture.
5. Season the mushroom mixture with salt and pepper, pour over 100ml dry white wine and cook for about 10 mins until all the wine has been absorbed. The mixture should hold its shape when stirred.
6. Remove the mushroom mixture from the pan to cool.
7. Overlap two pieces of cling film over a large chopping board. Lay 12 slices prosciutto on the cling film, slightly overlapping, in a double row.
8. Spread half the mushroom mixture over the prosciutto, then sit the fillet on it and spread the remaining mixture over the fillet.
9. Use the cling film’s edges to draw the prosciutto around the fillet, then roll it into a sausage shape, twisting the ends of cling film to tighten it as you go.
10. Chill the fillet while you roll out the pastry.
11. Dust your work surface with a little flour. Roll out a third of the 500g pack of puff pastry to a 18 x 30cm strip and place on a non-stick baking sheet. 
12. Roll out the remainder of the 500g pack of puff pastry to about 28 x 36cm.
13. Unravel the fillet from the cling film and sit it in the centre of the smaller strip of pastry.
14. Beat the 2 egg yolks with 1 tsp water and brush the pastry’s edges, and the top and sides of the wrapped fillet. Don’t discard the mixture at this point.
15. Using a rolling pin, carefully lift and drape the larger piece of pastry over the fillet, pressing well into the sides.
16. Trim the joins to about a 4cm rim. Seal the rim with the edge of a fork or spoon handle.
17. Glaze all over with the rest of the egg yolk mixture and, using the back of a knife, mark the beef Wellington with long lines taking care not to cut into the pastry.
18. Chill for at least 30 mins and up to 24 hrs.
19. When ready to cook, heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
20. Brush the Wellington with a little more egg yolk and cook until golden and crisp – 20-25 mins for medium-rare beef, 30 mins for medium 35 mins for well done. Allow to stand for 10 mins before serving in thick slices. 

 Allergens – This recipe contains dairy, wheat, sulphites, and egg. Please ensure you check the ingredients on any store brought items to make sure they are suitable for any dietary requirements.