FILLET MEAT RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/gas 7.
  2. Get the meat out of the fridge and leave to come up to room temperature before you cook it. Cover the porcini with 300ml of boiling water and leave to rehydrate for 5 minutes.
  3. Peel and finely chop 2 of the garlic cloves, then place in a large frying pan on a high heat with a knob of the butter. Add the porcini and half the soaking liquor, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, or until thick and syrupy.
  4. Squeeze in the lemon juice, stir in the remaining butter, and season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Leave to cool slightly.
  5. Drizzle the beef with 1 tablespoon of oil and season with black pepper. Sear in a sturdy roasting tray over a medium heat on the hob until browned all over, then remove from the heat.
  6. Lay out the slices of prosciutto on a large piece of greaseproof paper, overlapping them slightly, making a sheet big enough to wrap around the fillet.
  7. Spread the mushroom mixture lengthways over one half of the prosciutto, then sit the beef on top. Carefully roll up, tuck in the ends, then discard the paper. Secure with butcher’s string.
  8. Squash the remaining unpeeled garlic cloves and put into the roasting tray with the herbs, then carefully place the beef on top. Cook in the oven for 25 minutes for rare, 30 to 35 minutes for medium, or 40 minutes for well done.
  9. When the time’s up, remove the meat to a board to rest for 5 minutes, pouring any juices back into the tray.
  10. Transfer the tray to a medium-high heat on the hob, pour in the wine and the remaining porcini soaking liquor (discarding just the last gritty bit) and simmer to your desired consistency, scraping up all the goodness from the bottom of the tray.
  11. Remove from the heat, and sieve before serving, if you like – I also like to whisk in an extra knob of butter for maximum silkiness.
  12. Carve up the beef and serve drizzled with the red wine sauce – delicious with celeriac and potato mash, and steamed greens.

Steps:

• 1. The day before, or at least a few hours before cooking, put all the ingredients in a large sandwich bag (pick and finely chop the rosemary first).
  2. Squeeze out the air then spend a few minutes massaging all the flavours into the meat. Put in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
  3. About 1½ hours before you’re ready to cook, remove the beef from the fridge and place in a cool corner of the kitchen to come up slowly to room temperature.
  4. Preheat your barbecue. Put a few knobs of chilled butter into a bowl of cold water and take those outside with you when you’re ready to cook.
  5. This next bit is going to be down to you and your intuition. What works for me every time is taking the fillet out of the bag, quickly patting it with kitchen paper then rolling it in olive oil and putting it on the hottest part of the barbecue to give it colour. Rub it with a chilled knob of butter as you cook it for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning every minute. Once it looks good, move the fillet to a cooler part of the barbecue to finish cooking to your liking. Another 4 to 5 minutes, turning every minute, should give you medium-done meat. If you like it medium rare, cook it for less, or more for well done. It’s better to err on the side of under-done. That way, the worst-case scenario is that you take the fillet off, slice into it and find that it’s under-cooked, then have to put it back.
  6. When you’re happy, put it on a platter, rub it again with butter so it really shines, then drizzle over more Worcestershire sauce, extra virgin olive oil, and thyme and rosemary flowers, if you have them.
  7. Let the meat rest for a few minutes, before slicing at the table. Season from a height then quickly rub the slices in the juices before you let everyone grab some.