Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp (30g) Unsalted Butter
  • 2 large Shallots, finely diced
  • 500g (1 lb) Cremini or Chestnut Mushrooms, wiped clean
  • 2 sprigs Fresh Thyme, leaves only
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) Dry Sherry or Madeira (optional, substitute with beef stock)
  • 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 400g (14 oz) Beef Tenderloin/Fillet Steak (cut into 8 uniform 50g/1.75oz cubes/pieces)
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) Olive Oil (High smoke point)
  • 2 tbsp (30g) Dijon Mustard
  • 2 Sheets (approx. 500g total) All-Butter Puff Pastry (store-bought or homemade, chilled)
  • 1 large Egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • Flaky Sea Salt and Black Pepper (for seasoning the beef)

Instructions:

  1. Roughly chop the cleaned mushrooms and shallots. Pulse in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse, wet sand. Do not over-process.
  2. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushroom mixture, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook vigorously, stirring constantly, until all liquid has evaporated. This process is crucial and must result in an extremely dry, thick paste (about 10–15 minutes).
  3. Optional: Deglaze the pan by pouring in the sherry/Madeira and cook until fully absorbed. Transfer the duxelles to a shallow dish and chill in the refrigerator until completely cold (about 20 minutes).
  4. Season the 8 beef pieces generously with flaky salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in the same frying pan until smoking hot. Sear the beef pieces quickly on all sides (about 30 seconds per side). The goal is color and crust, not cooking the interior.
  5. Remove the beef and let cool slightly until lukewarm. Brush all sides of each piece liberally with Dijon mustard. Place the seared, mustard-coated beef back in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled puff pastry sheets to about 3mm thickness. Cut the pastry into 8 equal squares (about 12x12 cm or 5x5 inches). Keep unused squares chilled.
  7. Place a dollop (about 1 tbsp) of chilled duxelles in the center of a pastry square. Top with one piece of chilled, mustard-coated beef. Spread another small amount of duxelles on top of the beef.
  8. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash. Bring the four corners up to meet in the center, creating a neat parcel (like a moneybag). Pinch the seams tightly to seal. Trim any excess pastry.
  9. Place the assembled parcels on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush lightly with egg wash. Chill the Wellingtons for a minimum of 30 minutes; this prevents the pastry from shrinking and aids in maximum puff.
  10. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
  11. Give the chilled parcels a second, light coat of egg wash. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the pastry is deep golden brown and well-puffed. Use an instant-read thermometer to check doneness (55°C/130°F for Medium-Rare, 63°C/145°F for Medium).
  12. Allow the Wellingtons to rest on the tray for 5 minutes before serving to ensure the internal juices redistribute perfectly.