Beef Wellington

Method

1. 01

   Pat the beef fillet very dry and tie it with kitchen string if it is uneven, so it forms a neat cylinder. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper. Heat the sunflower oil in a heavy pan over high heat and sear the beef quickly on all sides until browned but still raw inside. Transfer to a rack, remove the string if used, brush all over with mustard while warm, and let cool completely.

   ⏱ 10 min
2. 02

   Make the duxelles while the beef cools. Cook the 500 g mushrooms, shallots, garlic, 40 g butter, thyme, 0.75 teaspoon salt, and remaining black pepper in a wide pan over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the mushrooms release their liquid and the pan becomes almost dry. Add the 75 ml wine if using and cook again until no loose liquid remains. Spread on a plate and cool completely.

   ⏱ 18 min
3. 03

   Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on the work surface. Arrange the prosciutto slices in an overlapping rectangle slightly longer than the beef. Spread the cooled duxelles evenly over the ham, place the beef in the center, then use the plastic wrap to roll everything tightly around the fillet. Twist the ends to compress into a firm log and chill until set.

   ⏱ 30 min
4. 04

   Lightly flour the work surface and roll the 500 g cold puff pastry into a rectangle large enough to enclose the beef with a small overlap. If using two smaller pastry sheets, overlap their edges and press firmly to make one sheet. Unwrap the chilled beef log, place it on the pastry, brush the pastry edges with the beaten egg mixed with 1 teaspoon water, and roll tightly to seal. Trim excess pastry, tuck the ends underneath, and place seam-side down on a lined tray.

   
5. 05

   Brush the pastry all over with egg wash, then chill the assembled Wellington so the pastry firms before baking. Heat the oven to 200 C. Brush with a second thin layer of egg wash, sprinkle with the remaining 0.5 teaspoon salt, and score the top lightly with the back of a knife without cutting through the pastry.

   ⏱ 25 min
6. 06

   Bake the Wellington at 200 C until the pastry is deeply golden and crisp and the beef is cooked to your preferred doneness: about 20-25 minutes for medium-rare or about 30 minutes for medium, depending on thickness and how cold the Wellington is. For best control, insert a probe thermometer into the center and pull it from the oven at 48-50 C for rare to medium-rare, or 54-56 C for medium. If the pastry browns too quickly, shield the top loosely with foil.

   ⏱ 30 min
7. 07

   Rest the Wellington on a board before slicing so the juices settle and the pastry does not collapse. Cut with a sharp serrated knife into thick slices and serve immediately with simple potatoes, green vegetables, and gravy or pan sauce if desired.

   ⏱ 15 min