Beef Wellington

Beef:

• •650 g beef tenderloin, ideally a thick center-cut piece, trimmed so it fits inside the pastry
• •2 tbsp high-heat oil, such as canola
• •Salt and black pepper, to taste
• •Good Dijon mustard, for brushing

Duxelles:

• •468 g (1 lb) mushrooms, cremini or mixed
• •2 shallots
• •3 garlic cloves
• •2 tbsp olive oil
• •3 tbsp whiskey (optional)
• •Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)

Crepe:

• •3.5 tbsp all-purpose flour
• •140 ml whole milk
• •1 egg
• •Salt, to taste

Pastry wrap:

• •6 to 8 slices prosciutto
• •1.5 sheets puff pastry (or 1 sheet if skipping the lattice)
• •2 egg yolks
• •1 tbsp water

Beef:

1. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then sear hard in high-heat oil on all sides until well browned. Brush with Dijon mustard while still warm and chill. Important: trim or cut the beef first so it fits inside the pastry cleanly.

Duxelles:

1. Make the duxelles by pulsing mushrooms, shallots, and garlic very fine, then cook in olive oil until all moisture is gone. Add whiskey and thyme if using, and cook until dry again. Cool completely.

Crepe:

1. Whisk together flour, milk, egg, and a pinch of salt into a thin batter. Cook one thin crepe and let it cool.

Pastry wrap:

1. Lay out prosciutto, spread over the duxelles, place the crepe on top if using it as a moisture barrier, then position the beef and roll everything tightly. Chill until firm.

2. Wrap the chilled beef parcel in puff pastry, seal well, trim excess, and add a lattice top only if using the extra half-sheet. Brush all over with egg wash and chill again for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Bake at 220 C until the pastry is deep golden and the center reaches your target doneness, about 25 to 35 minutes depending on thickness. Rest before slicing. Use a better sauce recipe separately rather than forcing a weak one here.

Photos from the process.