Beef Wellington

Preparation

1. Pulse the mushrooms with some seasoning in a food processor to a rough paste, then cook in a pan over high heat for about 10 minutes, tossing frequently, to cook out the moisture. Spread out on a plate to cool.
2. Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil, season the beef, and sear for 30 seconds on each side just to colour it, not cook it. Remove and leave to cool, then brush all over with the mustard.
3. Lay a sheet of cling film on a work surface and arrange the Parma ham in slightly overlapping rows. Spread the mushroom paste over the ham with a palette knife, then place the seared fillet in the middle. Holding the cling film tightly, roll the ham and mushrooms around the beef into a tight barrel, twisting the ends to secure, and chill for 15-20 minutes to set its shape.
4. Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface to a large rectangle the thickness of a £1 coin. Remove the cling film from the beef and lay it in the centre, brush the surrounding pastry with egg yolk, fold the ends over and wrap the pastry around the beef, trimming any excess. Turn seam-side down onto a baking sheet, brush all over with egg, and chill for about 15 minutes.
5. Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6. Lightly score the pastry at 1cm intervals, glaze again with egg yolk, and bake for 20 minutes, then lower to 180C/350F/gas 4 and cook for another 15 minutes.
6. Rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving - the beef should still be pink in the centre.

Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen

• Cook the mushroom duxelles until completely dry - any moisture will make the pastry soggy.
• Sear the beef hard and fast just to colour it; it finishes cooking inside the pastry.
• Rolling it tightly in cling film and chilling sets the shape so it holds when wrapped in pastry.
• Rest it 10-15 minutes after baking so the juices settle before you slice.