BEEF WELLINGTON MEDIUM

Perfection Guaranteed 

There is a reason you don’t have to meddle with some of the true classics, this is a simple but awesome show stopper dinner that is quite simple to prepare and very easy to execute when you have the formula, something I spend my spare time on, learning and researching cooking history finding old methods that equal successful executions of exquisite meals through simple cooking.

The Key To Success is all in The 2's ...

220 C / 428 F for 20 minutes, 200 C / 392 F for 20 minutes & 20 minutes resting

If you want to cook your wellington rare then either cook as one whole piece of fillet 800g - 1kg at the instructions above or if cooking as two wellingtons then lower the first cooking time to 15 minutes not 20 minutes at 220 C / 428 F.

Ingredients 

(serves 6-8)

The Rough Puff Pastry

330g self raising flour

130g suet

150g water

1 pinch Himalayan sea salt 

200g butter

The Wellington 

2 x 400g centre cut fillet steak

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

200g chestnut mushrooms finely chopped

1 small onion finely chopped

1 clove garlic finely chopped

1 pinch Himalayan sea salt 

1 pinch black pepper 

6 slices Parma ham optional 

1 beaten egg for wash

First make the rough puff pastry, place all the ingredients except the butter in a bowl and bring together to a rough ball, roll out to a 1/2 " thick rectangle, slice the butter into 12 slices, place 3 butter slices on the top first half of the rolled out pastry and fold up the bottom half covering the butter, turn the folded pastry 90 degrees and roll out to rectangle again, repeat 3 more times, wrap in parchment paper or cloth and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes while you make the mushroom pate.

This is roughly how your rough puff pastry will look inside, all the layers of butter are what will melt and make your rough puff, puff up and become light, melt in the mouth pastry.

The Mushroom Pate

Heat a skillet medium hot, add the butter and olive oil, add the onions and garlic and soften for five minutes, add the mushrooms and cook for a further two minutes, remove from the pan and leave to one side to cool, meanwhile place the skillet back on the heat, turn up to hot, sear the fillet steak until browned all over, remove from the heat and leave to cool.

The Wellington 

Pre heat your oven 220 C degrees

Roll out your pastry to a large thin rectangle, twice so that the pastry will cover the beef fillets when wrapped up, you do not want any excessive overlapping of the pastry, maybe a centimetre or so as to much overlapping will cook soggy, trim off as much excess as you dare.  If using the Parma ham lay a blanket over the pastry then  spread the mushroom pate on the pastry up to a inch or so away from the edges of the pastry, place the fillet of seared beef in the centre of the pastry and bring the left and right side up and over the fillet to cover, now hug the ends of the pastry parcel around the end of the beef fillet, trim off as much excess pastry as you dare, turn the parcel over so that the Wellington is now sitting seam side down and using your hands hug/tuck the minimal excess pastry back under the Wellington parcel.  

Cooking The Wellington 

Place your beef Wellington parcel on a pre heated baking sheet, egg wash generously all over and place in your pre heated hot oven, once in do not touch or open that door!  After a 20 minutes at 220 C / 428 F, turn the temperature down to 200 degrees C / 392 F, and quickly turn the Wellington 180 degrees in the oven, cook for a further 20 minute as soon as your timer alerts you take your Beef Wellington out of the oven and leave to rest on the side for another 20 minutes, this gives you time to fuss with any side dishes you want to serve with this dish.  Resting is as important as cooking.

 That's it, you Beef Wellington is now ready to carve and serve perfectly rare medium and juicy to your family or guests.  It really is a beautifully simple dish when you have the perfect cooking method.

Rich Port & Chanterelles Gravy

1 shallot finely diced

1 clove garlic finely diced

100g chanterelles torn

1 tbsp olive oil

50g butter

100ml port

300ml rich beef stock

Quick and easy sauce that is so rich and deep in flavour, in a saucepan add a tbsp of the butter and olive oil, soften the shallots and garlic for five or so minutes, add the mushroom and sear for a few minutes, add the port and reduce by half, add the beef stock and reduce by one third, take off the heat, add the butter and stir until melted.