Recipe: Beef Wellington

Patience is key when making this dish but when you get it right, there is nothing like it in the world

Whether you want to have it for Thanksgiving or as a turkey alternative at Christmas, this recipe for Beef Wellington from Executive Chef Alex Nahke at The Europe Hotel & Resort will leave your guests in a state of bliss.

Ingredients:

For the Beef Wellington

800g beef fillet
Rapeseed oil (for frying)
800g mixed and button mushrooms, cleaned
300g baby spinach
30g butter
Leaves from 1 sprig of thyme
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 onion, finely diced
600g puff pastry
10 slices of Parma ham
2 egg yolks, beaten with 1 tbsp water and a pinch of salt
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Ingredients for the pancake

2 eggs
200g plain flour
200ml milk
Salt and pepper (to taste)
30g chopped parsley and chives

For the Red Wine Sauce

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1kg beef bones
200g beef trimmings (ask your butcher to reserve these when trimming the fillet)
4 large shallots, peeled and sliced
400g mirepoix (a mix of roughly diced celeriac, carrot, onion, and leeks)
12 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
Splash of red wine vinegar
1 x 750ml bottle of red wine
750ml good quality beef stock (available in good food stores or homemade)
30g black truffle carpaccio

Method:

Day 1: Preparing the Beef:

Wrap the beef fillet tightly in a triple layer of cling film to set its shape. Chill overnight.
The next day, remove the cling film and quickly sear the beef fillet in a hot pan with a little rapeseed oil until browned all over but still raw in the middle. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
Finely chop the mixed and button mushrooms. In a hot pan, fry the mushrooms with a little olive oil, thyme leaves, crushed garlic, diced onion, and some seasoning.
Cook over high heat until the mushrooms begin to release their juices. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes until all excess moisture has evaporated, resulting in a thick mushroom paste (duxelles). Remove the duxelles from the pan and let it cool.
In a pan, wilt the baby spinach with warm butter, seasoning it with salt and a pinch of nutmeg. Set aside to cool.
In a bowl, mix eggs, milk, and flour with salt, pepper, chopped parsley and chives.
In a hot pan, cook the mixed batter to make thin pancakes. Allow them to cool.
Lay a large sheet of cling film on a work surface. Place 4 pancakes in the centre, overlapping them slightly to form a square. Layer 4 slices of Parma ham over the pancakes. Spread the cooled wilted spinach evenly over the ham, followed by half of the cooled duxelles.
Season the cooled beef fillet with salt and pepper, then place it on top of the mushroom-covered ham.
Using the cling film, roll the Parma ham over the beef, then roll and tie the cling film to form a tightly packed log. Chill overnight.

Day 2: Cooking the Beef Wellington

Cut the puff pastry in half and place each piece on a lightly floured surface. Roll each piece into a rectangle large enough to envelop one of the beef fillets. Chill the rolled pastry in the refrigerator for one hour.
Brush the rolled pastry with the egg wash.
Remove the cling film from the chilled beef fillets and wrap the pastry around each fillet. Trim any excess pastry and ensure it is well sealed.
Brush the wrapped pastry all over with the egg wash, then cover with cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (Gas Mark 6).
When ready to cook, lightly score the pastry and brush it with the egg wash again.
Bake the Wellingtons in the preheated oven for 10-14 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.
Lower the oven temperature to 150°C and continue to cook for an additional 14 minutes.
Once cooked, let the Beef Wellingtons rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.

Making the Red Wine Sauce:

Roast the Bones: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roast the beef bones in the oven for 25 minutes.
Sear the Bones and Trimmings: Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the roasted bones and beef trimmings, frying for a few minutes until browned on all sides.
Add Mirepoix and Aromatics: Stir in the mirepoix and add the sliced shallots, black peppercorns, bay leaf, and thyme. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallots turn golden brown.
Deglaze the Pan: Pour in the red wine vinegar and let it bubble for a few minutes until almost dry.
Add Wine and Stock: Add the red wine and boil until almost completely reduced. Then, add the beef stock and bring to a boil again.
Simmer the Sauce: Lower the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour, removing any scum that forms on the surface, until you reach the desired consistency.
Strain the Sauce: Strain the liquid through a fine sieve lined with muslin. Check the seasoning and set the sauce aside.
Add Truffle: For serving, stir in the black truffle carpaccio or truffle oil into the sauce.