Beef Wellington
Ingredients
- 2 x 400g beef fillets
- Olive oil, for frying
- 500g mixture of wild mushrooms, cleaned
- 1 thyme sprig, leaves only
- 500g puff pastry
- 8 slices of Parma ham
- 2 egg yolks, beaten with 1 tbsp water and a pinch of salt
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the red wine sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 200g beef trimmings (ask the butcher to reserve these when trimming the fillet)
- 4 large shallots, peeled and sliced
- 12 black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 thyme sprig
- Splash of red wine vinegar
- 1 x 750ml bottle red wine
- 750ml beef stock
Method
1.Wrap each beef fillet tightly in a triple layer of cling film to set its shape and chill overnight.
2.Remove cling film, quickly sear fillets in a hot pan with a little olive oil for 30-60 seconds until browned on all sides. Let them cool.
3.Finely chop mushrooms, fry in a hot pan with a little olive oil, thyme, and seasoning. Cook over high heat until moisture evaporates and it forms a paste. Let cool.
4.Cut the pastry in half and roll each piece into a rectangle large enough to wrap around a beef fillet. Chill in the fridge.
5.Lay cling film on a work surface, place 4 slices of Parma ham in the center to form a square. Spread half the mushroom paste over the ham, then place a beef fillet on top. Roll the ham around the beef using the cling film, creating an even log. Chill for 30 minutes.
6.Brush pastry with egg wash. Remove cling film from the beef, then wrap the pastry around each fillet. Trim excess pastry, brush all over with egg wash, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
7.In a large pan, heat oil and brown beef trimmings. Add shallots, peppercorns, bay leaf, and thyme, cooking until shallots are golden. Add vinegar, let it reduce, then add wine and reduce again. Finally, add stock, simmer for 1 hour, and strain through a sieve. Adjust seasoning.
8.Score the pastry lightly, brush with egg wash again, then bake at 200°C for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
9.Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
10.Slice the beef wellington and serve with the red wine sauce.
Source: https://www.gordonramsay.com/gr/recipes/beef-wellington/