Cooking With Gaz EP2: Beef Wellington

Beef Wellington
Serves 4-6.

Ingredients
1kg Centre Cut Beef Eye Fillet
1kg button mushrooms
1 sheet all-butter puff pastry
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic
1 large pinch each oregano, thyme and rosemary
50ml of olive oil
Salt and and black pepper
15 thin slices of bresaola (or pancetta, Parma ham, or any thinly sliced cured meat)
1 egg, beaten

Steps 1-6 can be done a day in advance of a dinner party or special occasion, however this is not essential.

Steps
1. Pulse mushrooms in a food processor or blender until finely diced. This is the base of your duxelles. Transfer to a large pan (without butter or oil) and cook on a medium heat, stirring often, until all the water has evaporated. About 10-20 mins.
2. Meanwhile, sear your beef fillet on all sides in a hot pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
3. Make your marinade by mixing the Dijon, garlic, herbs and a good glug of olive oil. Rub into your beef, getting into all the nooks and crannies. Allow to cool and marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.
4. Lay out a long sheet of plastic wrap on your assembly area. Neatly layer the cured bresaola covering an area 3 times the width of the beef fillet. On top of this, gently spread out the duxelles until it is about half a centre-meter thick, covering the same area.
5. Gently lift the plastic and wrap the bresaola and duxelle around the fillet. Make sure it is tight by winding the ends of the plastic wrap, ensuring everything encases the beef. Allow to set in the fridge for about an hour.
6. Repeat the process with the pastry. Lay out plastic wrap with a sheet of puff pastry on top. Remove the covered fillet from it’s plastic wrap, being careful not to disturb your layers outside. Wrap in pastry, making sure to seal the sides so that air cannot escape. Again, allow to set in the fridge for 30-60 mins. Whilst the resting seems excessive, it is essential to allow the ingredients a chance to relax so that they wont fall off during cooking.
7. Preheat oven to 180C. With the back (blunt) side of a chefs’ knife, gently mark the outside of the Wellington. Get creative! Any number of designs will look beautiful. Classically (as Gaz does in the video) it is marked at 2 inch intervals at the point where it will later by sliced for service.
8. Roast, uncovered, for 30 minutes until golden brown. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes or up until service, whilst you finish preparing your sides. We decided on roast potatoes, roast pumpkin, peas and a simple onion gravy.
9. Use a sharp knife or a bread knife and carve into 2-3 inch slices. Enjoy!