NB: This dish needs a bit of planning. You will need to start it the day before you are going to cook it.

INGREDIENTS

• 600g good beef fillet, taken from the centre of the fillet
• 50g olive oil

Duxelle

• 50g butter
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 20g finely chopped shallots
• 300g Chestnut mushrooms, washed and dried
• 100g Madeira
• 5g chopped tarragon

To finish

• 6 slices Parma ham
• 500g Puff pastry
• Flour for dusting
• 1 egg beaten with ½ teaspoon salt – eggwash
• Salt and pepper for seasoning
• Sesame seeds, poppy seeds and sea salt – optional

METHOD

• At least one day in advance, wrap the beef fillet in a triple layer of cling film to set its shape and refrigerate overnight.
• Next day, remove the cling film from the beef fillet; baste with the olive oil and season with pepper. Heat the frying pan until very hot, sear the fillet around 60 seconds then rotate a ¼ then sear for another 60 seconds, repeat until the whole fillet is nicely browned, remove from the pan to cool.
• While the beef is cooling, make the duxelle: Melt the butter in the frying pan used to sear the fillet, add the shallots and garlic. Meanwhile blitz the mushrooms to a coarse consistency – you don’t want a puree! When the shallots are translucent add the chopped mushrooms, cook until tender then add the Madeira and reduce until all the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the pan and cool.
• Making the Wellington (1): Roll out the puff pastry to around 30cm by 25cm by 1/2cm depth. Lay the Parma ham slices on the pastry, leaving a gap at one end. Spread the duxelle over the Parma ham. Seat the beef at the end where the duxelle is flush with the pastry.
• Making the Wellington (2): Egg wash the Wellington. Score it with the back of a knife to make a pattern. Egg wash again. Sprinkle with the optional sea salt, poppy seeds and the sea salt and place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
• Cooking: Pre-heat your oven to 175 C and cook the Wellington for around 35 to 40 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. I would start the cook on the top shelf of the oven then move it to the bottom after 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and rest for at least 15 to 20 minutes before carving and serving.