Beef Wellington
Ingredients
900 gm Fillet Steak
1 Tbsp Brandy
15 gm Butter
Pate
350 gm Mushrooms
1 Onions
40 gm Butter/oil
Salt
Black pepper
Nutmeg (grated)
Thyme
Pastry
1 Flaky pastry
Method
Try to get as thick a single piece of fillet steak as possible. If it is not thick you will need to roast it for less time if you want it rare.
First make the pastry - see recipe for Quick Flaky Pastry. Leave in the fridge to chill for at least half an hour.
Pre-heat the oven to 200�C.
Trim the fillet if necessary to remove any excess fat or sinew. Brush all over with the brandy, rub over with the butter and season. Roast for about 25 minutes or more if you do not want the beef to be too rare. The time will vary dependent on how thick the piece of beef is. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
To make the mushroom pate, chop the onions and mushrooms as finely as possible. Chop the thyme. Cook the onion in the butter (or oil) for 5 minutes then add the mushrooms and thyme and cook for a further 20 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and the mixture is fairly dry. Season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg.
To make the Beef Wellington, pre-heat the oven to 220�C. Roll the pastry into a rectangle large enough to envelop the meat. Spread half the pate over the centre of the pastry, place the fillet on top then spread the rest of the pate over the meat. Wrap the pastry around the beef like a parcel, ensuring that the edges are sealed. You can use a little water for this or some beaten egg. Bake for about 20-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
Variation
Instead of the mushroom pate, you can use Brussels pate ready made. My family prefer this.
Acknowledgements
Delia Smith
24 Sep 2023
Shirl Seath