Beef Wellington with truffles

red meat Wellington makes an outstanding centrepiece for a unique dinner. This model continues the pastry high-quality and crisp with a layer of crêpes.

INGREDIENTS

For the mushroom duxelle

• 25g/1oz butter
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 shallot, finely diced
• 8 chestnut mushrooms, chopped
• 2 tbsp cream

For the Wellington

• 3-4 crêpes (you can use ready- made)
• 225g/8oz ready-made puff pastry
• 2 free-range egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1.2kg/2lb 12oz beef fillet
• salt and pepper, to taste
• dash vegetable oil, to fry

For the potato dauphinoise

• 500ml/18fl oz double cream
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 1kg/2lb 4oz waxy potatoes, peeled and very finely sliced (preferably on a mandoline)

For the Madeira and port reduction

• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 100ml/3½fl oz port
• 100ml/3½fl oz Madeira
• 500ml/18fl oz veal stock (or beef or chicken stock)
• 1 heaped tbsp truffle peelings in brine, drained
• knob of butter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the mushroom duxelle, heat the butter and vegetable oil in a frying pan. once hot, upload the chopped shallots and fry, stirring all the time, for two minutes. Tip in the chopped mushrooms. reduce the warmth a little and hold stirring and cooking for about ten mins till the mushrooms are softened and their liquid has evaporated. Stir in the cream and cook for a in addition  minutes, then take away from the warmth and leave to chill.
2. For the Wellington, warmness the oil in a frying pan over a excessive warmth. Season the fillet throughout with salt and pepper. once the oil is smoking, add the red meat and fry on all facets until it's far a adorable caramel-brown coloration. cast off to a plate and depart to chill. (NB. Don’t wash up the pan. Use this to make the Madeira and port discount later.)
3. area the crêpes onto the paintings surface, one layer thick, however overlapping - you need to create an area about two times the thickness of the fillet, and approximately 2.5cm/1in longer at every cease. spread the mushroom duxelle over the crêpes.
4. lightly pat the fillet with kitchen paper to dispose of any excess moisture, earlier than setting the beef on top of the duxelle.
5. cautiously roll the aspect closest to you over the beef encasing it inside the crêpes and mushrooms. The crêpes have to cowl the meat on all aspects, however trim off any excess.
6. location the wrapped fillet onto a sheet of clingfilm and wrap up tightly right into a cylinder. Set aside in the fridge till absolutely cold, about 1/2 an hour.
7. meanwhile for the potato dauphinoise, preheat the oven to 150C/300F/gas 2.
8. Rub the inner of a deep baking dish or casserole with the uncooked garlic.
9. area the sliced potatoes in a bowl and pour over the cream and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to coat the potatoes, then lay them calmly in the garlicky baking dish.
10. cowl the dish with foil and bake within the oven for 30 minutes. do away with the foil and cook for a in addition 20-half-hour at the same time as you put together the Wellington.
11. Roll the pastry out on a nicely-floured floor to a rectangle with a thickness of approximately 3mm.
12. Brush the pastry with beaten egg yolk. do away with the clingfilm from the red meat fillet and place onto the center of the pastry.
13. Wrap the pastry up over the pork fillet. gently stretch one fringe of the seam in order that it isn't always too thick, then press down firmly to seal.
14. You should be left with a tube this is open at either end. gently press the ends of the pastry collectively using a rolling pin to seal and thin the 2 portions. Then with a small knife, trim the rims on every side to shape a triangle form. Brush the triangle of pastry with a bit egg and press it up against the side of the Wellington. Repeat with the alternative aspect before flipping over so that the Wellington is seam-aspect down.
15. region your Wellington onto a baking tray, brush with the remaining egg yolk set aside inside the fridge to chill for five-10 minutes.
16. growth the oven temperature to 180C/350F/fuel 4 (the dauphinoise have to continue to be inside the oven).
17. remove the Wellington from the refrigerator and score a sample of your desire onto the top.
18. area inside the oven with the potatoes dauphinoise and bake for 25 minutes. cast off the Wellington from the oven and go away to rest for 10 minutes. This ought to give you a wonderfully crimson end for your meat. in case you choose it extra cooked, then go away in the oven for longer, however you need to make certain the meat is nicely rested.
19. For the Madeira and port discount, warmness the butter in the identical pan in that you cooked the beef fillet over a medium heat. as soon as effervescent, upload the shallot and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until softened.
20. boom the heat and upload the port and Madeira. Simmer till the quantity of liquid has decreased by way of 1/2 after which upload the stock. reduce again by means of 1/2. while the sauce has a thick, syrupy consistency, strain thru a quality sieve. Stir in the truffle peelings and maintain warm until geared up to serve.
21. Serve slices of the pork Wellington with the potato dauphinoise alongside and the Madeira and port reduction.