Beef Wellington

Gordon Ramsay’s most iconic dish: a seared beef fillet coated in mushroom duxelles and prosciutto, wrapped in golden puff pastry.

Ingredients

• 2 lb (900 g) center-cut beef fillet, trimmed

Olive oil, for searing

• 2 tablespoons English mustard
• 1 lb (450 g) chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves picked
• 8 slices prosciutto
• 1 lb (450 g) all-butter puff pastry

Flour, for dusting

• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Season the beef fillet generously with salt and pepper. Heat a little olive oil in a hot pan and sear the beef on all sides until well browned, about 2-3 minutes total. Remove and brush all over with the mustard while still hot; let cool.
2. For the duxelles, blitz or finely chop the mushrooms, then fry with the garlic and thyme in a dry pan over high heat until all the moisture evaporates and you have a dry paste. Season and cool completely.
3. Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on the counter and arrange the prosciutto slices in an overlapping rectangle. Spread the cooled mushroom duxelles evenly over the prosciutto.
4. Place the beef in the center and use the plastic wrap to roll the prosciutto and mushrooms tightly around the beef into a firm log. Twist the ends and chill for 20 minutes.
5. Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface. Unwrap the beef and place it on the pastry, brush the edges with egg yolk, and wrap snugly, trimming excess and sealing the seam underneath.
6. Brush all over with egg yolk, score the top lightly, and chill for 15 minutes. Brush again with egg yolk.
7. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 35-40 minutes for medium-rare, until the pastry is deep golden. Rest 10 minutes before slicing thickly.

Notes

Adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s signature Beef Wellington.