European · Main · From the menu Sobremesa

Beef Wellington, heritage carrot, Madeira, truffle

Solomillo Wellington, zanahoria, Madeira, trufa

Whole fillet seared, painted with mustard, wrapped in a dry duxelles and crêpes rather than ham, and baked in puff pastry. Madeira sauce, glazed heritage carrots, truffle at the table.

Serves
Six
Prep
90 min
Cook
40 min
Cuisine
European

Every failed Wellington fails for the same reason: water. The mushrooms hold it, the beef releases it, and the pastry underneath turns to paste. The duxelles has to be cooked until it squeaks, and a thin crêpe between the duxelles and the pastry does the rest. Prosciutto is the traditional barrier but it makes the whole thing salty; crêpes do the job and taste of nothing.

Ingredients

  • 1.2 kg centre-cut beef fillet, trimmed and tied
  • 500 g chestnut mushrooms
  • 2 shallots, 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 50 g butter, 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 thin savoury crêpes
  • 500 g all-butter puff pastry
  • 2 egg yolks beaten with a splash of cream, to glaze
  • For the sauce: 300 ml Madeira, 600 ml veal or beef stock, 1 shallot, 30 g cold butter
  • 12 heritage carrots, 1 tbsp honey
  • Fresh truffle to finish, salt, pepper

Method

  1. Season the fillet heavily and sear it in a smoking hot pan on every surface, about 90 seconds a side. It should be dark all over. Cool it completely, then brush it all over with the mustard.
  2. Blitz the mushrooms, shallots and garlic to a fine crumb. Cook in the butter and oil with the thyme over a medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until every drop of water has gone and the mixture squeaks against the pan. Cool completely.
  3. Lay clingfilm on the bench, lay the crêpes down overlapping, spread the duxelles over them in an even layer, and sit the fillet on top. Use the film to roll it into a tight cylinder. Twist the ends and chill one hour.
  4. Roll the pastry to 4 mm. Unwrap the cylinder onto it, egg wash the pastry edges, and roll it up, sealing the seam underneath. Trim and seal the ends. Chill 30 minutes.
  5. Glaze all over with the yolk, score the top lightly, and sprinkle with salt. Chill again 15 minutes while the oven heats to 200C.
  6. Bake 35 to 40 minutes for medium rare. Use a probe: 52C in the centre, no guessing. Rest 15 minutes before slicing, which is not optional.
  7. Sauce: reduce the Madeira with the chopped shallot to a syrup, add the stock and reduce by two thirds until it coats a spoon. Whisk in the cold butter off the heat.
  8. Glaze the carrots in a little butter, honey and water until tender and shiny. Slice the Wellington thick, sauce around, shave truffle over at the table.

Serve it with. A good red with some age, and no more than one other course before it.