Phil Vickery's beef wellington
Thirteen-year-old Howard Thomas first joined us back in July, to talk about his incredible robot AV Howard, and how it helps him stay connected in school whilst he undergoes chemotherapy treatment. But it wasn't just his cool robot that impressed Alison and Dermot - and Howard's incredible passion for cooking even caught the attention of some of our This Morning chefs. He joined Phil Vickery in the kitchen to give us an update on his chemotherapy treatment and make us his specialty dish - beef wellington, a la howard!
Phil Vickery’s Beef Wellington
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
250g open mushrooms2 small onions, peeled and chopped2 tbsp oil2 cloves garlic, crushed1 heaped tbsp tomato puree6-8 heaped tbsp dried breadcrumbs4 tbsp oil1 x 750g piece fillet beef, trimmed and with no chain75g Brussels pateSalt and freshly ground pepper500g puff pastry1 beaten egg
For the sauce:2 pints chicken stock, fresh600ml beef stock, fresh6 shallots, peeled and finely chopped400ml portfew beef granules, just to hold1 tbsp very cold unsalted butter
Method
1. Chop the mushrooms and onions, then blitz in a food processor.
2. Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a saute pan, then add the garlic, tomato puree and the mushroom mixture. Cook over a low heat for 30 minutes, or until very dry, need to get all the moisture out. When very dry, remove the pan from the stove and cool slightly. Add enough breadcrumbs to make a stiff paste, then chill well.
3. Place a frying pan on the stove and add 4 tbsp oil. Season the fillet really well and place into the hot fat, seal REALLY well on all sides, so the meat is very brown, then cool and chill well, best overnight.
4. Once chilled, preheat the oven to 200°C, Gas mark 6. Rebeat the mushroom mixture well then add the pate and season well with salt & pepper.
5. Roll out 2/3rds of the puff pastry to about ¼ cm. Mould the stuffing onto the top of the fillet and the sides. Place the fillet stuffing side down onto the pastry and wrap the wellie nice and tightly, with the fold on the top, brush with the beaten egg to seal the edges. Turn the beef over and sit it on the sealed bottom and tidy the pastry up.
6. Roll out the last third of the pastry to roughly the same length and twice the width length of the wellie. Flour well, then fold over and make long cuts into the folded edge, but not all of the way through.
7. Brush the egg all over the pastry. Lay the cut piece of pastry on top, halfway across, then unfold to cover the other half. Brush off any excess flour and egg lightly, chill well for at least 30 minutes.
8. When ready, place onto a baking tray and cook in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. If you have a food temperature probe, the internal temperature at this point should be about 55C (for a rare result) as it will increase further during the resting time. Remove and leave for a further 10-15 minutes to rest.
9. For the sauce, place the chicken and beef stock, shallots, port and beef granules into a pan and simmer until well reduced and full of flavour. Thicken with a few granules and a knob of butter.
10. Carve and serve a beautifully pink beef Wellington with the port sauce.