Another terrible Bank Holiday Monday when all thoughts of summery
eating, salads and flummeries retreat in favour of good old casseroles or soup of a comforting nature. However, having been faced with a truly horrible Beef Wellington last week I thought you might like the following re- ceipt, which is quite the best and most flavourful method I have ever encoun- tered. It is an expensive dish but as a party piece it is impressive and there is no waste.
Beef Wellington (boeuf en crate) 1 fillet of beef, trimmed and tied, about 12 inches long
The marinade: 4 tablespoons light olive oil 2 medium carrots sliced 2 medium onions sliced 2 sticks of celery sliced a good pinch of thyme and sage, a bayleaf 4 cloves, 6 peppercorns, 1 teaspoon of salt 8 oz dry white vermouth 4 tablespoons of brandy
Heat the oil in a saucepan, add all the vegetables, herbs and spices, cover and cook gently until tender. Place the fillet in a long dish or casserole, sprinkle with the salt, cover with the vegetable mixture, then pour on the vermouth and brandy, cover and leave in a cool place or a refrigerator for 24 hours, turning and basting every few hours. Scrape off the marinade (but keep it) and pat the beef dry with paper towels. Rub the meat with oil and place in a roasting pan, cover with oiled foil and place in a preheated oven at gas 7, F425°, C218°, and roast for 25 minutes, turning and basting at half-time. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes.
Trim and chop 2 lb of mushrooms into small pieces. Finely chop four or five shallots, then sauté them both in 2 oz of butter for about eight minutes mixing and turning the while, add 4 fluid oz of madeira, port or medium sherry, boil rapidly until all liquid has evaporated, stir in 4 tablespoons of some respectable pâté de foie, mix well and turn into a bowl and cover until needed.
For the pastry you need 15 oz of plain flour, 7 oz of chilled butter, 2 oz chilled Cookeen or the like, two teaspoons of salt and 6 fluid oz of chilled water. Blend all the ingredients together and chill for two hours before using. It is done in two parts: a cooked bottom case to hold the beef and a flaky pastry top. Butter the outside of a 12" x 31/4" loaf tin. Roll three fifths of the pastry into a rectangle of 16" x 7", lay it over the upside-down tin, press into place and trim so the pastry forms a case of 11/2 inches deep. Prick all over with a fork and chill for half an hour. Bake in the middle of a preheated oven at Gas 7 until light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool for ten minutes on the tin, then carefully un- mould. Roll remaining pastry into a 16" X 7" rectangle, spread bottom half with 11/2 oz of soft butter, fold in half to enclose butter. Repeat with another 11/2 oz butter and fold again. Roll into a rectangle, then fold in thirds like a business letter. Chill for two hours, then roll into another rectangle of 16" x 10". Place the baked bottom case on a buttered baking sheet, spread half the mushroom mixture on the bottom of the case. Remove string from the beef and place it on top of the mushrooms, then cover with the rest of them. Beat an egg with half a teaspoon of water and paint the sides of the case; lay pastry top over the meat letting it flop over about an Inch on sides of case, press together and trim if necessary. Paint with the egg glaze. Make cross-hatch marks over the pastry and three vent holes three inches apart. Insert tiny foil funnels for escaping steam. Bake in the middle of a preheated oven at Gas 7 for 20 minutes, then lower the heat to Gas 5, F380°, C193° for another 20 minutes. Let the whole thing rest in a warm place for at least 20 minutes before serving. Carve with a very sharp knife into 11/2 inch slices. Use the marinade for a sauce.
Simmer the marinade and a dessert. - spoon of mushroom ketchup with 16 fluid oz of beef stock and one tablespoon of tomato purée for an hour. When reduced to 16 oz again, strain, return to saucepan, and thicken with two dessertspoons of corn flour mixed with 3oz of madeira, port or sherry. Simmer until shiny and thick- ened, season to taste. If you like you can add a cup of sauce béarnaise. Beat it in gradually off the heat or it will curdle. I know this seems quite complicated but it's fun once you start and you can elf course cheat by buying the pastry, ha! short, half flaky. Cold, Beef Wellington is excellent, ideal for a grand buffet el. picnicking at Glyndebourne, say. LuckY old you.
Jennifer Paterson
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