Beef Wellington was one of my favourite meals growing up. Mum made it for special occasions, and I was always going back for seconds and thirds. It was just so delicious.

I’ve made it a few times for myself, but not in a while, and not in my tiny kitchen. I knew as soon as I got my hands on the tenderloin from Feather & Bone that I was going to make Wellington. I mean, it just made sense.

Now, I’m the first person to admit that there is no way I am going to make my own puff pastry. It’s time-consuming and takes far too much space and effort. So, I always advocate buying puff pastry from the supermarket. It’s so much more convenient.

While puff pastry does come in different amounts, I knew that with half of mine I was going to make a Beef Wellington, and with the other half I was going to make a vegetarian-friendly puff pastry (more on that next time).

The key to a good Wellington is the mushroom duxelles. If that’s done badly, then the whole thing gets thrown off whack.

Obviously, a high-quality cut of meat is also essential, so get the best organic, grass-fed tenderloin that you can get your hands on. I’ve made this recipe for 1 person, seeing as that’s the number of people I am usually cooking for. However, you can use the same recipe for a larger tenderloin fillet, to feed a group of people. The mushroom duxelles is enough for 2 people, so if you feel the need to double it for a larger Wellington, feel free to do so.

Ingredients

100 grams button mushrooms, diced
1/2 onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons thyme
salt
pepper
225 grams beef tenderloin
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (about 30 – 40 minutes)
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Combine the mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl.
3. Place a large frying pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the mushroom mixture and cook until all of the moisture has left the mushrooms, about 15 – 20 minutes.
4. Remove from the pan and set aside.
5. Add the remaining butter to the pan, and sear the tenderloin on all sides (about 1 – 2 minutes each). Turn off the heat.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/2 cm thick, making a rectangle of about 10 cm x 8 cm.
7. Add half of the mushroom duxelles to the rectangle, spreading it over the centre of the pastry. Save the rest of the duxelles for another Wellington, or for my vegetarian version.
8. Place the beef on top.
9. Wet the edges of the pastry with water, and seal them around the beef, creating a parcel of pastry.
10. Place the pastry seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking tray.
11. Score the pastry across the top.
12. Brush with the beaten egg, and place in the oven for 20 minutes, until the pastry is a beautiful golden brown. If you like your beef cooked more than medium, cook for 5 minutes longer. If you want it cooked slightly less, only cook for 15 minutes.
13. Serve on a bed of cooked spinach.