HOW TO COOK BEEF FILLET 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. Preheat a large frying pan on a high heat. Rub the beef all over with sea salt and black pepper. Pour a good lug of oil into the pan, then add the beef, 1 knob of butter and 1 sprig of rosemary.
  2. Sear the beef for 4 minutes in total, turning regularly with tongs, then remove to a plate.
  3. Wipe out the pan and return to a medium heat. Peel the onion and garlic, then very finely chop with the mushrooms and put into the pan with the remaining knob of butter and another lug of oil.
  4. Strip in the rest of the rosemary leaves and cook for 15 minutes, or until soft and starting to caramelise, stirring regularly.
  5. Toss the livers and Worcestershire sauce into the pan and cook for another few minutes, then tip the contents onto a large board and drizzle with the truffle oil (if using).
  6. Finely chop it all by hand with a big knife, to a rustic, spreadable consistency. Taste and season to perfection, then stir in the breadcrumbs (you can use pancakes to line the pastry and absorb the juices, but I prefer using breadcrumbs like this).
  7. Preheat the oven to 210°C/425°F/gas 7.
  8. On a flour-dusted surface, roll out the pastry to 30cm x 40cm. With one of the longer edges in front of you, spread the mushroom pâté over the pastry, leaving a 5cm gap at either end and at the edge furthest away from you – eggwash these edges.
  9. Sit the beef on the pâté then, starting with the edge nearest to you, snugly wrap the pastry around the beef, pinching the ends to seal.
  10. Transfer the Wellington to a large baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, with the pastry seal at the base, and brush all over with eggwash (you can prep to this stage, then refrigerate until needed – just get it out 1½ hours before cooking so it’s not fridge-cold).
  11. When you’re ready to cook, heat the tray on the hob for a couple of minutes to start crisping up the base, then transfer to the oven and cook for 40 minutes for blushing, juicy beef – the two end portions will be more cooked, but usually some people prefer that.
  12. For the gravy, peel and roughly chop the onions and put into a large pan on a medium heat with a lug of oil and the thyme leaves. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, then stir in the jam and simmer until shiny and quite dark.
  13. Add the Madeira, flame with a match, cook away, then stir in the mustard and flour, gradually followed by the stock. Simmer to the consistency you like, then blend with a stick blender and pass through a sieve, or leave chunky.
  14. Once cooked, rest the Wellington for 5 minutes, then serve in 2cm-thick slices with the gravy and steamed greens.