0 added
Item price
£48-£102 each est.Price per unit
£60 / kgA Wellington is perhaps the most luxurious meat dish if you want to impress at Christmas. Prime beef fillet is clothed in rich mushroom duxelles, sealed in cured ham, then wrapped in buttery puff pastry. Martha Collison has gone all out for this one – two types of mushrooms, sweet chestnuts and Madeira, sautéed down into an unctuous duxelles, horseradish-coated caramelised beef, salty prosciutto and an egg-yolk glaze.
Please note, we take every care to ensure the product, allergen and recipe information displayed is correct. However, should a product be unavailable, alternatives may be displayed and/or a substitution provided. If you have an allergy or intolerance, please always check the product label before use.
Warm a large frying pan over a high heat. Rub the beef with oil, season lightly with salt, then sear on all sides until well browned all over. Allow the meat to sear unmoved on each side to form a dark, caramelised crust for maximum flavour – this should take 1-2 minutes each side. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Using a food processor (or chopping board and sharp knife), blitz the mushrooms until finely chopped. Melt the butter in the pan used to sear the beef, then add the shallots and sauté over a low heat for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and increase the heat to medium. Fry for 8-10 minutes, until dry, beginning to brown and all their moisture is released.
Blitz or chop the chestnuts to a fine texture, then stir into the mushrooms with the herbs and garlic. Add the Madeira and cook for 2 minutes more, scraping the base of the pan to release the flavour. Transfer into a bowl, cool completely, then cover and chill until needed.
Lay the filo pastry sheet on a large chopping board and arrange the ham slices across the centre in a slightly overlapping single layer. Spread the mushroom mixture or duxelles over the top of the ham into an even layer. Brush the cooled beef fillet all over with horseradish, then place along the short edge of the filo on top of the mushrooms. Wrap tightly, folding the mushroom, ham and filo together around the beef fillet to fully encase it. Don’t worry if the filo sheet splits slightly.
Unroll the puff pastry sheet and, using a rolling pin, flatten the pastry (if needed) to create a rectangle large enough to wrap the filling. Place the filo-wrapped beef against the short side of the puff pastry, then brush the exposed pastry with beaten egg yolk. Roll the fillet tightly in the pastry, pinching at the seam to seal. With the seam underneath the roll, fold in the edges as if you were wrapping a gift, using more egg yolk to seal if needed. Transfer to a baking tray and chill for at least 30 minutes (or up to 3 days).
Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Brush the top of the Wellington with egg yolk, then score a pattern into the top with a sharp knife (don’t cut all the way through). Sprinkle with sea salt flakes, then bake for 35-40 minutes for rare to medium rare, until deep golden (see tip). Leave to rest for 10 minutes, then use a serrated knife to serve.
MARTHA'S TIPS
Cooking temperature
A meat thermometer is a must for this recipe, as the meat is too special to take the risk of under or overcooking it. If you have one, use it to check the internal temperature of the thickest part of your Wellington: I usually aim for a temperature of 43ºC for rare or 49ºC for medium rare. Start checking after 30 minutes to ensure a perfectly cooked centre. Be sure not to let it exceed 49ºC for a pink middle.
Stopping leaks
Many Wellington recipes will direct you to make crepes to form a moisture barrier between the beef and the pastry, but realistically, many of us won’t faff around with that! I found a great solution for which I credit American chef J Kenji López-Alt – a simple sheet of filo pastry between the prosciutto and the puff. It traps all the meat juices and means you don’t need clingfilm to wrap the beef tightly. Double win!
Cut of beef
Beef fillet is a non-negotiable for this, as it’s the leanest part of the animal, and therefore can be prepared as a Wellington and remain melt-in-the-mouth and tender. The meat needs to be the same thickness all the way along for even cooking, so avoid the thinner tail end of the fillet if possible. Other cuts yield a chewy result, as there won’t be enough direct heat applied to break down the fat and sinew.
Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe
Energy | 3,412kJ/ 817kcals |
---|---|
Fat | 45g |
Saturated Fat | 21g |
Carbohydrates | 48g |
Sugars | 5.1g |
Fibre | 8.9g |
Protein | 49g |
Salt | 1.7g |
Book a slot to see product availability at your nearest Waitrose & Partners store
0 added
Item price
£48-£102 each est.Price per unit
£60 / kg0 added
Item price
£5.95Price per unit
£1.19/100ml0 added
Item price
£2.50Price per unit
£16.67/kg0 added
Item price
£1.25Price per unit
£5/kg0 added
Item price
£3.25Price per unit
£13/kg0kg added
Item price
£3.75Price per unit
per kg0 added
Item price
£2.50Price per unit
£1.39/100g0 added
Item price
80pPrice per unit
40p/10g0 added
Item price
80pPrice per unit
40p/10g0 added
Item price
60pPrice per unit
60p each0 added
Item price
£12.49Price per unit
£12.49/75cl0 added
Item price
£1.95Price per unit
£7.23/kg0 added
Item price
£3.75Price per unit
£5.21/100g0 added
Item price
£1.00Price per unit
55.6p/100g0 added
Item price
£2.50Price per unit
£7.82/kg0 added
Item price
£2.60Price per unit
43.3p each0 added
Item price
£2.65Price per unit
£10.60/kg