Beef Wellington and Wild Mushrooms with Port and Red Wine Sauce and Savoy Cabbage with Bacon and Parsnip
Serves 8 Oven 200C
Method:
To make the stuffing -
In a little butter soften the shallots and garlic. Soften all the mushrooms in a little more butter then drain them in a sieve, so that the stuffing is not too wet. When it is all cool, mix everything together.
To assemble the dish -
Divide pastry and stuffing into two quantities. Cut the beef lengthways to form two pieces. Sear the beef all over in hot oil and let it cool. Roll the pastry out to fit the meat, like a parcel. It should be thin but still supple. Put half the stuffing, then place the beef on top covered with the other half of the stuffing. To avoid making a clumsy, pastry heavy parcel, cut out and discard the four corners, then wrap it all up folding the short ends over first, then along the sides. Repeat with the other piece of beef. Put in the oven for approximately 20 – 25 minutes . It should be rare. NB You can use a lattice to cover the pastry to make a pretty pattern.
To make the sauce -
In a large pan soften the bacon, carrots, onions and mushrooms in a tablespoon of butter. Deglaze with vinegar and red wine, now add the red currant jelly, and brown roux and cook for a further 3 minutes. Now add the stock, simmer until it just starts to thicken. Now add the port and cook again for 1 minute until the sauce is to a sticky consistency. Season to taste.
To make the Savoy Cabbage with Bacon and Parsnip -
First remove the outer leaves of the cabbage, and then remove each leaf and cut out the stalks, put 4 or 5 leaves on top of each other then roll and cut finely. Take a large saucepan of water and boil, put in the cabbage and cook for 1 minute from simmering then refresh and drain. When really cold squeeze out the rest of the water so it is really dry.In a large oiled frying pan cook the bacon till crispy, put to one side then oil again and cook the parsnips till brown and soft, remove and put aside. Melt the butter, add the cabbage and gently heat up, then add the parsnip and season.
