If you approach this classic dish as a bit of a military operation (no pun intended), then it's a cinch. The mushroom duxelles and parfait should be prepared the night before, so the parfait has time to set.
Ingredients
- 1 (weighing about 900g-1.2kg) beef fillet, cut from the middle and trimmed of any fat or sinew
- 2 tbsp mild olive oil or vegetable oil
- 2 x 375g packs ready-rolled puff pastry
- Plain flour, for dusting
- 1 medium free-range egg, beaten with 2 tbsp milk
- 1 portion of chicken liver and Madeira parfait
- 1 portion of mushroom duxelles
Method
- 1. Rub the fillet well with the oil, salt and pepper, then heat a cast-iron frying or griddle pan until it smokes. Sear the meat all over for 1 minute each side. If you don’t want the finished beef to be medium-rare, double the searing time. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to go cold.
- 2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Unroll both sheets of pastry on a lightly floured work surface and trim each so that they are about 2cm wider and longer than the fillet. Keep the trimmings handy.
- 3. Place 1 piece of pastry on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Egg wash the pastry and place the fillet in the centre. Smear the top and sides of the fillet with parfait. Finally, press the duxelles onto the parfait. Drape the second piece of pastry over the top and crimp the edges, trimming again if necessary.
- 4. Roll out the pastry trimmings to create a lattice over the top of the Wellington, like an old-fashioned pie, and egg wash the pastry.
- 5. Bake the Wellington for about 20 minutes, turning the tray halfway (no need if you have a fan oven). It’s ready when the pastry is golden and crisp – if not, it might need 5-10 minutes more in the oven.
- 6. Allow the Wellington to rest for 10 minutes before carving – at the table, of course, where it will wow everyone.
Nutritional info
Per serving (based on 6): 784kcals, 47.9g fat (21.4g saturated), 45.3g protein, 48g carbs, 2.3g sugar, 1.4g salt
Wine Recommendation
Nothing beats a peppery, premium Rhône red. Go for a Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Côte Rôtie.