A centrepiece roast of beef fillet encased in a mushroom duxelles made with chestnut mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and dry sherry, then wrapped in Parma ham and baked inside all-butter puff pastry until golden. The result is a firm, deeply savoury crust giving way to tender beef fillet — rich enough to anchor a formal dinner table for four.
750g
1.75tsp
1tsp
1tbsp
2tbsp
25g
2clove
1tbsp
500g
2tbsp
8slice
1tbsp
500g
1piece| # | Product | Quantity | Notes | State | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 750g | — | — | |
| 2 | | 1.75tsp | — | — | |
| 3 | | 1tsp | — | — | |
| 4 | | 1tbsp | — | — | |
| 5 | | 2tbsp | — | — | |
| 6 | | 25g | — | — | |
| 7 | | 2clove | — | — | |
| 8 | | 1tbsp | — | — | |
| 9 | | 500g | — | — | |
| 10 | | 2tbsp | — | — | |
| 11 | | 8slice | — | — | |
| 12 | | 1tbsp | — | — | |
| 13 | | 500g | — | — | |
| 14 | | 1piece | — | — |
Take the beef fillet out of its wrapping and set it on a plate.
Beef fillet · 750 g
Leave the fillet to come up to room temperature.
Pat the fillet dry all over with kitchen paper.
Season the fillet all over with the salt.
Flaked sea salt · 1.5 tspSeason with the pepper, pressing it onto the meat.
Freshly ground black pepper · 1 tspPour the oil into the frying pan.
Sunflower oil · 1 tbsp
Heat the oil over a high heat until it shimmers and just starts to smoke.
Lay the seasoned fillet in the hot pan.
Sear the fillet, turning with the tongs, until every side and both ends are deeply browned.
Lift the seared fillet onto a clean plate.
Brush the mustard all over the hot fillet.
Dijon mustard · 2 tbsp
Put the plate in the fridge.
Chill the fillet until cold.
Take the plate out of the fridge.
Crush the garlic cloves under the flat of the knife and slip off the skins.
Garlic clove · 2 clove
Rinse the mushrooms quickly in the colander and shake them dry.
Chestnut mushrooms · 500 g
Tip the mushrooms onto the board.
Chop the mushrooms as finely as you can, almost to a crumb.
Wipe out the pan and add the butter.
Unsalted butter · 25 gMelt the butter over a medium heat.
Scrape the garlic into the butter.
Add the thyme leaves.
Thyme leaves · 1 tbspCook gently, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant but not coloured.
Scrape the chopped mushrooms into the pan.
Add a pinch of salt to draw out the moisture.
Flaked sea salt · 0.25 tspCook over a medium-high heat, stirring often, until all the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is dry.
Pour in the sherry.
Dry sherry · 2 tbspCook until the sherry has cooked away and the duxelles is dry and paste-like.
Spread the duxelles out on a second plate.
Lay a large double sheet of cling film on the counter and put the ham slices on it.
Parma ham · 8 slice
Arrange the ham slices, overlapping, into a rectangle big enough to wrap the fillet.
Spread the cooled duxelles in an even layer over the ham.
Set the chilled fillet along the near edge of the duxelles.
Using the cling film to help, roll the ham and duxelles tightly around the fillet, then twist the ends of the film to make a tight log.
Lift the wrapped log onto the plate.
Put the plate in the fridge.
Chill the log until firm.
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Line the baking tray with baking paper.
Dust the counter lightly with the flour.
Plain flour · 1 tbspUnroll the pastry onto the floured counter and turn it once so both sides pick up a little flour.
All-butter puff pastry · 500 gRoll the pastry out on the floured counter into a rectangle large enough to enclose the log, about 3 mm thick.
Crack the egg into the small bowl, discarding the shell.
Egg · 1 piece
Beat the egg with the fork.
Brush the edges of the pastry with some of the beaten egg, keeping the rest for later.
Unwrap the chilled log from its cling film and set it in the middle of the pastry.
Fold the pastry over the log, trim the excess, and press the edges firmly to seal, seam side down.
Lift the Wellington onto the lined tray, seam down.
Brush the whole Wellington with the remaining beaten egg.
Score a light diagonal lattice over the pastry with the tip of the knife, without cutting through.
Put the tray in the fridge.
Chill so the pastry firms up before baking.
Take the tray out of the fridge.
Put the tray in the oven.
Bake until the pastry is deep golden and a probe in the centre reads 50 °C. The beef climbs to about 55 °C, medium-rare, as it rests. For the official safe minimum, bake until it reads 63 °C and rest it for at least 3 minutes.
Take the tray out of the oven using oven gloves.
Lift the Wellington onto the chopping board.
Rest the Wellington so the juices settle.
Cut into thick slices with a sharp knife.
| # | Product | Tool | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 750 g | | Take the beef fillet out of its wrapping and set it on a plate.⏱ 10sResultBeef fillet |
| 2 | — | | Leave the fillet to come up to room temperature.⏱ 30 minResultRoom-temperature beef fillet |
| 3 | — | | Pat the fillet dry all over with kitchen paper.⏱ 1 minResultPatted-dry beef fillet |
| 4 | 1.5 tsp | | Season the fillet all over with the salt.⏱ 30sResultSalted beef fillet |
| 5 | 1 tsp | | Season with the pepper, pressing it onto the meat.⏱ 30sResultSeasoned beef filletused in step 8 |
| 6 | 1 tbsp | | Pour the oil into the frying pan.⏱ 10sResultSunflower oil |
| 7 | — | | Heat the oil over a high heat until it shimmers and just starts to smoke.⏱ 2 minResultHot oil |
| 8 | Seasoned beef filletstep 5 | | Lay the seasoned fillet in the hot pan.⏱ 15sResultHot oil and seasoned beef fillet |
| 9 | — | | Sear the fillet, turning with the tongs, until every side and both ends are deeply browned.⏱ 3 minResultSeared beef fillet |
| 10 | Seared beef filletstep 9 | | Lift the seared fillet onto a clean plate.⏱ 30sResultSeared beef fillet |
| 11 | 2 tbsp | | Brush the mustard all over the hot fillet.⏱ 1 minResultMustard-brushed beef fillet |
| 12 | — | | Put the plate in the fridge.⏱ 10sResultMustard-brushed beef fillet |
| 13 | — | | Chill the fillet until cold.⏱ 30 minResultChilled mustard-brushed beef fillet |
| 14 | — | | Take the plate out of the fridge.⏱ 10sResultChilled mustard-brushed beef filletused in step 35 |
| 15 | 2 clove | | Crush the garlic cloves under the flat of the knife and slip off the skins.⏱ 30sResultPeeled garlic cloves |
| 16 | Peeled garlic clovesstep 15 | | Mince the garlic finely.⏱ 1 minResultMinced garlicused in step 22 |
| 17 | 500 g | | Rinse the mushrooms quickly in the colander and shake them dry.⏱ 30sResultRinsed chestnut mushrooms |
| 18 | — | | Tip the mushrooms onto the board.⏱ 10sResultRinsed chestnut mushrooms |
| 19 | — | | Chop the mushrooms as finely as you can, almost to a crumb.⏱ 3 minResultFinely chopped chestnut mushroomsused in step 25 |
| 20 | 25 g | | Wipe out the pan and add the butter.⏱ 10sResultUnsalted butter |
| 21 | — | | Melt the butter over a medium heat.⏱ 1 minResultMelted butter |
| 22 | Minced garlicstep 16 | | Scrape the garlic into the butter.⏱ 10sResultMinced garlic and melted butter |
| 23 | 1 tbsp | | Add the thyme leaves.⏱ 10sResultMinced garlic and melted butter and thyme leaves |
| 24 | — | | Cook gently, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant but not coloured.⏱ 2 minResultGarlic and thyme butter |
| 25 | Finely chopped chestnut mushroomsstep 19 | | Scrape the chopped mushrooms into the pan.⏱ 15sResultFinely chopped chestnut mushrooms and garlic and thyme butter |
| 26 | 0.25 tsp | | Add a pinch of salt to draw out the moisture.⏱ 10sResultFinely chopped chestnut mushroom mixture |
| 27 | — | | Cook over a medium-high heat, stirring often, until all the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is dry.⏱ 10 minResultMushroom duxelles base |
| 28 | 2 tbsp | | Pour in the sherry.⏱ 10sResultMushroom duxelles base and dry sherry |
| 29 | — | | Cook until the sherry has cooked away and the duxelles is dry and paste-like.⏱ 5 minResultMushroom duxelles |
| 30 | Mushroom duxellesstep 29 | | Spread the duxelles out on a second plate.⏱ 1 minResultMushroom duxelles |
| 31 | — | | Leave the duxelles to cool completely.⏱ 20 minResultCooled mushroom duxellesused in step 34 |
| 32 | 8 slice | | Lay a large double sheet of cling film on the counter and put the ham slices on it.⏱ 30sResultParma ham |
| 33 | — | | Arrange the ham slices, overlapping, into a rectangle big enough to wrap the fillet.⏱ 2 minResultParma ham rectangle |
| 34 | Cooled mushroom duxellesstep 31 | | Spread the cooled duxelles in an even layer over the ham.⏱ 1 minResultDuxelles-covered ham |
| 35 | Chilled mustard-brushed beef filletstep 14 | | Set the chilled fillet along the near edge of the duxelles.⏱ 15sResultChilled mustard-brushed beef fillet |
| 36 | — | | Using the cling film to help, roll the ham and duxelles tightly around the fillet, then twist the ends of the film to make a tight log.⏱ 2 minResultBeef wrapped in ham and duxelles |
| 37 | Beef wrapped in ham and duxellesstep 36 | | Lift the wrapped log onto the plate.⏱ 15sResultBeef wrapped in ham and duxelles |
| 38 | — | | Put the plate in the fridge.⏱ 10sResultBeef wrapped in ham and duxelles |
| 39 | — | | Chill the log until firm.⏱ 30 minResultChilled wrapped beef log |
| 40 | — | | Take the log out of the fridge.⏱ 10sResultChilled wrapped beef logused in step 49 |
| 41 | — | | Preheat the oven to 200°C.⏱ 15 min |
| 42 | — | | Line the baking tray with baking paper.⏱ 1 min |
| 43 | 1 tbsp | | Dust the counter lightly with the flour.⏱ 30sResultFlour dusting |
| 44 | 500 g | | Unroll the pastry onto the floured counter and turn it once so both sides pick up a little flour.⏱ 15sResultFloured puff pastry |
| 45 | — | | Roll the pastry out on the floured counter into a rectangle large enough to enclose the log, about 3 mm thick.⏱ 3 minResultRolled puff pastry |
| 46 | 1 piece | | Crack the egg into the small bowl, discarding the shell.⏱ 30sResultEgg |
| 47 | — | | Beat the egg with the fork.⏱ 30sResultBeaten egg |
| 48 | Beaten eggstep 47 | | Brush the edges of the pastry with some of the beaten egg, keeping the rest for later.⏱ 1 minResultEgg-washed pastryused in step 52 |
| 49 | Chilled wrapped beef logstep 40 | | Unwrap the chilled log from its cling film and set it in the middle of the pastry.⏱ 1 minResultUnwrapped beef log |
| 50 | — | | Fold the pastry over the log, trim the excess, and press the edges firmly to seal, seam side down.⏱ 2 minResultPastry-wrapped beef log |
| 51 | Pastry-wrapped beef logstep 50 | | Lift the Wellington onto the lined tray, seam down.⏱ 1 minResultPastry-wrapped beef log |
| 52 | Remaining beaten eggstep 48 | | Brush the whole Wellington with the remaining beaten egg.⏱ 1 minResultEgg-washed wellington |
| 53 | — | | Score a light diagonal lattice over the pastry with the tip of the knife, without cutting through.⏱ 1 minResultScored wellington |
| 54 | — | | Put the tray in the fridge.⏱ 10sResultScored wellington |
| 55 | — | | Chill so the pastry firms up before baking.⏱ 15 minResultChilled scored wellington |
| 56 | — | | Take the tray out of the fridge.⏱ 10sResultChilled scored wellington |
| 57 | — | | Put the tray in the oven.⏱ 10sResultChilled scored wellington |
| 58 | — | | Bake until the pastry is deep golden and a probe in the centre reads 50 °C. The beef climbs to about 55 °C, medium-rare, as it rests. For the official safe minimum, bake until it reads 63 °C and rest it for at least 3 minutes.⏱ 28 minResultBaked wellington |
| 59 | — | | Take the tray out of the oven using oven gloves.⏱ 10sResultBaked wellington |
| 60 | — | | Lift the Wellington onto the chopping board.⏱ 1 minResultBaked wellington |
| 61 | — | | Rest the Wellington so the juices settle.⏱ 10 minResultRested wellington |
| 62 | — | | Cut into thick slices with a sharp knife.⏱ 2 minResultSliced wellington |
| Total Time | 2 hr 51 min | ||
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| 1,406kcal | |
| 76g | |
| 90g | |
| 39g | |
| 67g | |
| 3g | |
| 2g | |
| 2,872mg |
A centrepiece roast of beef fillet encased in a mushroom duxelles made with chestnut mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and dry sherry, then wrapped in Parma ham and baked inside all-butter puff pastry until golden. The result is a firm, deeply savoury crust giving way to tender beef fillet — rich enough to anchor a formal dinner table for four.
What you’ll doYou will bring a beef fillet to room temperature, sear it until deeply browned, then brush it with mustard and chill it. Meanwhile, you will cook down mushrooms with garlic and thyme until dry, cool them, and layer them with Parma ham around the cold fillet. You will then wrap the whole log in puff pastry, chill it again, and bake it until the pastry is golden and the beef's centre reaches 50°C.
