Beef wellington is a classic French dish that is ideal for Father’s Day especially if you like your beef very rare. This recipe is from The Nation’s Favourite Food and when I made it on Home Chef it got a huge response. It is one of those meals that most definitely has the wow factor, but it is a recipe that takes a lot of work, so preparation and organisation are vital. It can be made up to 12 hours in advance and kept covered in the fridge until needed. Just remember to give it a little longer in the oven if you are using it straight from the fridge. For Father’s Day it is worth putting in the effort. The tricky bit is wrapping the beef in the pastry and making the duxelles – that delicious finely-chopped mushroom mixture.
Tiramisu means ‘pick me up’ because of the alcohol and coffee. Of course you can make it without alcohol if you like. It is probably my favourite desert of all time. The first time I had it I was 16. I was visiting my sister in London and she took me out to a restaurant. It was so good I ate a second one and I haven’t looked back since.
Tiramisu is always popular on our menu and we serve it (and the piña colada version) as a pre dessert. The piña colada version has a great summery feel and is that bit exotic. It is delicious in a big serving bowl with everyone helping themselves.
Happy cooking.
Beef wellington
Serves six
Rapeseed oil
75g (3oz) of unsalted butter
800g (1¾lb) piece of centre-cut beef fillet
75g (3oz) of shallots, finely diced
150g (5oz) of flat mushrooms, chopped
2 tbsp of cream
1 tbsp of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp of milk
2 x 375g (13oz) packets of puff pastry
4 ready-made pancakes (crêpes)
175g (6oz) of chicken liver pâté
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Madeira sauce, to serve
Steamed baby carrots and new potatoes
Heat the oil and 15g (½oz) of the butter over a medium heat and season the beef. Add the beef and quickly seal all over. Remove it from the pan, place on a plate and allow it to cool.
To make the stuffing, heat up the rest of the butter in the frying pan until it’s foaming. Add the shallots and cook for five minutes, until lightly golden, then add the mushrooms and cook for another three to four minutes, stirring until all the liquid evaporates. Stir in the cream and season. Cook until the mixture is reduced to a thick paste. Stir in the parsley and cool.
Mix the egg yolk with the milk in a bowl and set aside. Unroll one of the packets of pastry onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lay two pancakes on top, slightly overlapping. Spread the pâté in a strip across the centre of the pancakes.
Make a lengthways cut into the centre of the beef, about three-quarters of the way through, and fill it with the mushroom stuffing. Place the beef onto the pancakes and cover with the two remaining pancakes, slightly overlapping. Brush the egg wash around the pastry edges and lay the second sheet of puff pastry on top, trimming down as necessary, then press down the edges to seal with the tip of a teaspoon. Brush with the egg wash. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F/gas mark eight). Roast the beef for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 190°C (375°F/gas mark five) for another 20 minutes, until the pastry is puffed up and golden. Leave to rest on a carving board for 15 minutes.
Carve the wellington into thick slices and arrange on warm serving plates with the madeira sauce and baby veg.Madeira sauce
Makes 200ml (7fl oz)
300ml (½ pint) of madeira
2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
200ml (7fl oz) of beef stock
2 tbsp of chopped fresh thyme
2 heaped tsp of light muscovado sugar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat a small pan and pour in the madeira and vinegar. Boil for about five minutes until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the stock, thyme and sugar and reduce again for another 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you have achieved a good consistency. Season to taste.
Classic tiramisu
Serves eight
4 large eggs, separate whites from yolks
150g of caster sugar
250g of mascarpone cheese
250m of cream, whipped
250ml of strong espresso coffee
150ml of Tia Maria
30 to 40 sponge fingers
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and creamy, mix in the mascarpone. When combined well, fold in the whipped cream.In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, then fold this into the mascarpone mix.Mix the coffee and Tia Maria together, spoon 1/3 of the cream mixture into a 9in x 13in dish. Dip the sponge fingers into the espresso mix, arrange them in your dish, then spread an even layer on top of the mascarpone mixture (only dip the fingers in coffee as you go so they are not difficult to handle). Repeat until you’ve used all the fingers and mascarpone, place in the fridge to chill overnight. Serve in a martini glass with a dusting of cocoa.
Piña Colada Tiramisu
Serves eight
150ml (1/4 pint) of double cream
2 tbsp of Malibu
500g (1lb 2oz) of mascarpone
16 sponge fingers
Custard
5 egg yolks
1 tbsp of corn flour
3 tbsp of caster sugar
1/2 vanilla pod (use seeds)
300ml (1/2 pint) of coconut milk
100ml (3 1/2fl oz) of cream
Pineapple purée
75g (3oz) of caster sugar
1/2 vanilla pod (use seeds)
1 pineapple (peeled and diced)
100g of unsalted butter
150ml of apple juice
To make the custard, place the egg yolks in a large bowl with the corn flour, sugar and vanilla seeds. Whisk with an electric mixer for a few minutes until pale and thick. Pour the coconut milk and cream into a medium pan and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. Gradually whisk into the egg yolk mixture until smooth, then pour back into the pan and place over a gentle heat. Cook for about six to eight minutes, stirring constantly, until the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon. Transfer to a bowl and leave it to cool.To make the pineapple purée, place chopped pineapple in a pan with sugar, unsalted butter, apple juice and the vanilla pod and seeds and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for five to 10 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half and thickened. Blend and pass through a fine sieve, discarding the vanilla pod. Allow it to cool.Whisk the remaining cream in a bowl until it forms soft peaks. When the custard is cold, whisk in the mascarpone cheese until completely smooth and then fold in the whipped cream and Malibu until evenly mixed.Spoon the pineapple purée into the bottom of eight martini glasses, then arrange two sponge fingers on top of each one. Pour over the coconut custard to cover completely. Chill for one hour until set. To serve, decorate with mint sprigs.
Beef wellington is a classic French dish that is ideal for Father’s Day especially if you like your beef very rare. This recipe is from The Nation’s Favourite Food and when I made it on Home Chef it got a huge response. It is one of those meals that most definitely has the wow factor, but it is a recipe that takes a lot of work, so preparation and organisation are vital. It can be made up to 12 hours in advance and kept covered in the fridge until needed. Just remember to give it a little longer in the oven if you are using it straight from the fridge. For Father’s Day it is worth putting in the effort. The tricky bit is wrapping the beef in the pastry and making the duxelles – that delicious finely-chopped mushroom mixture.
Tiramisu means ‘pick me up’ because of the alcohol and coffee. Of course you can make it without alcohol if you like. It is probably my favourite desert of all time. The first time I had it I was 16. I was visiting my sister in London and she took me out to a restaurant. It was so good I ate a second one and I haven’t looked back since.
Tiramisu is always popular on our menu and we serve it (and the piña colada version) as a pre dessert. The piña colada version has a great summery feel and is that bit exotic. It is delicious in a big serving bowl with everyone helping themselves.
Happy cooking.
Beef wellington
Serves six
Rapeseed oil
75g (3oz) of unsalted butter
800g (1¾lb) piece of centre-cut beef fillet
75g (3oz) of shallots, finely diced
150g (5oz) of flat mushrooms, chopped
2 tbsp of cream
1 tbsp of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp of milk
2 x 375g (13oz) packets of puff pastry
4 ready-made pancakes (crêpes)
175g (6oz) of chicken liver pâté
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Madeira sauce, to serve
Steamed baby carrots and new potatoes
Heat the oil and 15g (½oz) of the butter over a medium heat and season the beef. Add the beef and quickly seal all over. Remove it from the pan, place on a plate and allow it to cool.
To make the stuffing, heat up the rest of the butter in the frying pan until it’s foaming. Add the shallots and cook for five minutes, until lightly golden, then add the mushrooms and cook for another three to four minutes, stirring until all the liquid evaporates. Stir in the cream and season. Cook until the mixture is reduced to a thick paste. Stir in the parsley and cool.
Mix the egg yolk with the milk in a bowl and set aside. Unroll one of the packets of pastry onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lay two pancakes on top, slightly overlapping. Spread the pâté in a strip across the centre of the pancakes.
Make a lengthways cut into the centre of the beef, about three-quarters of the way through, and fill it with the mushroom stuffing. Place the beef onto the pancakes and cover with the two remaining pancakes, slightly overlapping. Brush the egg wash around the pastry edges and lay the second sheet of puff pastry on top, trimming down as necessary, then press down the edges to seal with the tip of a teaspoon. Brush with the egg wash. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F/gas mark eight). Roast the beef for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 190°C (375°F/gas mark five) for another 20 minutes, until the pastry is puffed up and golden. Leave to rest on a carving board for 15 minutes.
Carve the wellington into thick slices and arrange on warm serving plates with the madeira sauce and baby veg.Madeira sauce
Makes 200ml (7fl oz)
300ml (½ pint) of madeira
2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
200ml (7fl oz) of beef stock
2 tbsp of chopped fresh thyme
2 heaped tsp of light muscovado sugar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat a small pan and pour in the madeira and vinegar. Boil for about five minutes until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the stock, thyme and sugar and reduce again for another 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you have achieved a good consistency. Season to taste.
Classic tiramisu
Serves eight
4 large eggs, separate whites from yolks
150g of caster sugar
250g of mascarpone cheese
250m of cream, whipped
250ml of strong espresso coffee
150ml of Tia Maria
30 to 40 sponge fingers
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and creamy, mix in the mascarpone. When combined well, fold in the whipped cream.In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, then fold this into the mascarpone mix.Mix the coffee and Tia Maria together, spoon 1/3 of the cream mixture into a 9in x 13in dish. Dip the sponge fingers into the espresso mix, arrange them in your dish, then spread an even layer on top of the mascarpone mixture (only dip the fingers in coffee as you go so they are not difficult to handle). Repeat until you’ve used all the fingers and mascarpone, place in the fridge to chill overnight. Serve in a martini glass with a dusting of cocoa.
Piña Colada Tiramisu
Serves eight
150ml (1/4 pint) of double cream
2 tbsp of Malibu
500g (1lb 2oz) of mascarpone
16 sponge fingers
Custard
5 egg yolks
1 tbsp of corn flour
3 tbsp of caster sugar
1/2 vanilla pod (use seeds)
300ml (1/2 pint) of coconut milk
100ml (3 1/2fl oz) of cream
Pineapple purée
75g (3oz) of caster sugar
1/2 vanilla pod (use seeds)
1 pineapple (peeled and diced)
100g of unsalted butter
150ml of apple juice
To make the custard, place the egg yolks in a large bowl with the corn flour, sugar and vanilla seeds. Whisk with an electric mixer for a few minutes until pale and thick. Pour the coconut milk and cream into a medium pan and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. Gradually whisk into the egg yolk mixture until smooth, then pour back into the pan and place over a gentle heat. Cook for about six to eight minutes, stirring constantly, until the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon. Transfer to a bowl and leave it to cool.To make the pineapple purée, place chopped pineapple in a pan with sugar, unsalted butter, apple juice and the vanilla pod and seeds and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for five to 10 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half and thickened. Blend and pass through a fine sieve, discarding the vanilla pod. Allow it to cool.Whisk the remaining cream in a bowl until it forms soft peaks. When the custard is cold, whisk in the mascarpone cheese until completely smooth and then fold in the whipped cream and Malibu until evenly mixed.Spoon the pineapple purée into the bottom of eight martini glasses, then arrange two sponge fingers on top of each one. Pour over the coconut custard to cover completely. Chill for one hour until set. To serve, decorate with mint sprigs.
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