Beef Wellington with duxelles and prosciutto

Clean the center cut of beef tenderloin: remove excess membranes and fat, pat the meat dry with paper towels. Season evenly with salt and pepper over the entire surface so a nice crust forms when searing.

On a very hot pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, sear the tenderloin quickly on all sides until browned (about 1-2 minutes per side, about 4-5 minutes total), just to seal the meat. After searing, remove and let cool completely on a rack or plate.

While still warm, brush the meat briefly with Dijon mustard (a thin layer) and let it cool completely to room temperature. for easier handling and better adhesion of the prosciutto slices and pastry, chill for 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Finely chop the button mushrooms (or mixed mushrooms) by hand or pulse in a food processor. finely dice the shallot and garlic - the goal is a fine, almost paste-like consistency for the duxelles, not coarse pieces.

Melt the butter with a splash of oil in a pan, add the shallot and sauté 2-3 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic only briefly so it doesn't turn bitter.

Add the chopped mushrooms and thyme, increase the heat and sauté 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until all the liquid evaporates and the mixture darkens - the result should be a thick, paste-like duxelles. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Let the duxelles cool completely so it won't add moisture to the pastry.

On plastic wrap or foil, arrange the slices of prosciutto into a slightly overlapping rectangle. Spread the cooled duxelles evenly over them and place the cooled tenderloin in the center.

Using the wrap, roll tightly into a compact cylinder so the prosciutto snugly encloses the meat. twist the ends of the wrap and chill the roulade for 20-30 minutes so it holds its shape and is easier to wrap in pastry.

Lightly flour the puff pastry and roll it out to a rectangle about 3 mm thick, large enough to wrap the whole cylinder with a 2-3 cm overlap. Transfer the pastry with the baking paper onto the baking sheet you'll use to bake the Wellington.

Remove the wrap from the roulade and place the meat onto the rolled-out pastry so the prosciutto seams are centered on the bottom. Fold the pastry over the meat, trim excess edges and seal the seams tightly. press the bottom seam so it doesn't unravel during baking. If you want decoration, leave enough pastry for decorative cuts.

Transfer the Wellington to a baking sheet seam-side down. Brush the entire surface with beaten egg (1 beaten yolk or a whole egg mixed with a tablespoon of water) and lightly score the surface with a knife (small slashes or a decorative pattern) to allow steam to escape. After brushing, chill for 10-15 minutes so the pastry holds its shape better.

Preheat the oven to 200 °C (top and bottom heat). Place the sheet on the middle rack and bake 35-45 minutes until golden. start checking color after 30 minutes to prevent burning. Baking time depends on the size of the meat and oven temperature, so monitor both the visual color and internal temperature.

For medium-rare, watch the internal temperature of the meat: target 48-50 °C in the center. Use an instant-read thermometer and adjust the baking time as needed (for medium, e.g. 54-57 °C).

After removing from the oven, let the Wellington rest loosely covered with foil for 10-15 minutes so the juices redistribute and slicing won't cause them to run out.

Trim any excess pastry seams briefly, then slice with a sharp knife into 2-3 cm thick slices, cutting in one smooth motion to preserve the structure of the meat and crust.

Serve immediately with a sauce of your choice (e.g. demi-glace or pan sauce) and sides like roasted potatoes or braised vegetables. We recommend serving slices warm so the contrast between the crisp pastry and the juicy meat is noticeable.