Beef Wellington

Even within gastronomy one must often trawl through history because great men throughout the ages have loved their food and, in many cases, have lent their genius and their creativity to the kitchen, creating dishes and delicacies that centuries later still manage to impress and win people over. Beef Wellington is one such example. It owes its name to the famous Duke of Wellington, hero of the Battle Waterloo. The story is that he was not particularly bothered by what he ate, but there was one dish that sent him into ecstasy. It was this beef fillet wrapped in a shell of puff pastry, made even more delectable with a delicate sauce of creamed mushrooms. It was a dish that the Duke asked to be made and served to him wherever he went - and that is why it got the name ‘Beef Wellington’.

Prepare a mushroom sauce by frying the thoroughly cleaned and sliced mushrooms in oil, garlic and parsley. Don’t add liquid. When the mushrooms are cooked, blend them until you get a thick sauce. Roll out the puff pastry and prick it with the prongs of a fork. Spread it with the prepared mushroom sauce. Take the fillet and massage it with salt and pepper. Brown it well on all sides, using a small pan over a high heat. Then pat it dry and lay it in the centre of the pastry. Tightly roll it up and seal the edges. Brush with egg yolk or milk so you get a nice golden brown finish. Bake at 180°C for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with a nice side dish of potatoes.