Beef Wellington (Gordon Ramsay)

Ingredients

• 2 x 400g beef fillets
• Olive oil, for frying
• 500g mixture of wild mushrooms, cleaned
• 1 thyme sprig, leaves only
• 500g puff pastry
• 8 slices of Parma ham
• 2 egg yolks, beaten with 1 tbsp water and a pinch of salt
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Red wine sauce: 2 tbsp olive oil
• 200g beef trimmings (ask the butcher to reserve these)
• 4 large shallots, peeled and sliced
• 12 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 thyme sprig
• Splash of red wine vinegar
• 1 x 750ml bottle red wine
• 750ml beef stock

Method

1. Wrap each piece of beef tightly in a triple layer of cling film to set its shape, then chill overnight.
2. Remove the cling film, then quickly sear the beef fillets in a hot pan with a little olive oil for 30-60 seconds until browned all over and rare in the middle. Remove and cool.
3. Finely chop the mushrooms and fry in a hot pan with a little olive oil, the thyme leaves and seasoning. When they release their juices, cook over high heat about 10 minutes until the moisture evaporates and you have a mushroom paste (duxelle). Remove and cool.
4. Cut the pastry in half, and on a lightly floured surface roll each piece into a rectangle large enough to envelop a fillet. Chill.
5. Lay a large sheet of cling film on the counter, overlap 4 slices of Parma ham into a square, and spread half the duxelle evenly over the ham.
6. Season a fillet, place it on the mushroom-covered ham, and use the cling film to roll the ham around the beef into an evenly thick log. Repeat with the other fillet, then chill at least 30 minutes.
7. Brush the pastry with egg wash. Unwrap the beef and wrap the pastry around each ham-wrapped fillet. Trim, brush all over with egg wash, cover in cling film and chill at least 30 minutes.
8. Meanwhile make the sauce: brown the trimmings in oil, add shallots, peppercorns, bay and thyme, and cook about 5 minutes until golden. Add the vinegar and reduce until nearly dry; add the wine and reduce almost completely; add the stock, bring to a boil, then simmer gently 1 hour, skimming. Strain through muslin, season, set aside.
9. Score the pastry lightly, egg wash again, and bake at 200°C/Gas 6 for 15-20 minutes until golden. Rest 10 minutes before carving. Reheat the sauce and serve alongside.