Beef Wellington

It is thought that Beef Wellington was created in celebration of the first Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, and his victory at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18 1815. Whatever the reason, it’s a great dish and a perfect way to celebrate St George’s Day.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/gas mark 6
2. Season the beef fillet with salt and pepper and place a frying pan over a high heat. Add vegetable oil and sear the beef until browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and leave it to cool.
3. Make a pancake mix by combining all the ingredients together. Whisk until the batter is smooth and no lumps remain.
4. Make a few thin crepe style pancakes in a non-stick pan over a low-medium heat, using approximately 60-80ml of pancake mix, depending on the size of your pan. Repeat the process until all the pancake mix has been used. This recipe allows for a little extra.
5. Melt the butter in a separate saucepan on a medium heat and sweat of the mushrooms, shallots and garlic. Season it with salt and pepper. Sauté the mushrooms on a low heat until all the moisture has evaporated and the pan is almost dry.
6. Add the white wine and reduce the mixture until all the white wine has evaporated. Remove from the heat and transfer it to a blender. Blitz until smooth, and set aside.
7. Once the beef fillet is cold, brush it with Dijon mustard. Lay out the pancakes overlapping each other approximately the size of the beef fillet. Spread the mushroom mix on the pancakes and wrap the pancakes around the beef.
8. Lay the puff pastry sheet on a  lightly floured surface and place the beef fillet on the pastry and roll the fillet tightly in the pastry, making sure the entire beef fillet is covered. Seal the edge by gently pressing it together or crimping with a fork. Brush the remaining egg mixture on the outside of the pastry and cut slits on top for steam to escape while cooking.
9. Cook the Wellington in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and gold brown or if using a meat thermometer, cook until the internal temperature has reached 50ºC for a medium rare finish. Allow the meat to rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting it into slices.