Beef Wellington

Pour boiling water over dried mushrooms and steep for 10 minutes. Squeeze dry, reserving the water and chop very finely.

Chop the mushrooms using a food processor – pulse until very finely minced, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Set aside.

Check whether you need to tie the tenderloin with butcher's twine to keep its shape. Pat the beef tenderloin dry and season generously with sea salt and pepper and let it come to room temperature for 45 minutes. Pat dry again prior to searing, if needed.

Heat the oil in a heavy pan until very hot and sear the beef on all sides until well browned. Transfer the meat to a plate and cool.

Wrap in paper towels, place on a plate and chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes or up to overnight.

Turn the heat down and pour the Marsala into the hot pan to deglaze, scraping any browned bits stuck to the pan loose. Simmer until the wine has cooked down.

Add butter in the same pan and melt over medium heat until sizzling. Sauté the shallots and minced garlic, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

Add all the mushrooms you prepped earlier, plus salt, pepper and thyme, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes.

Add the liquid from the dried mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce and Marsala. Continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated and you have fairly dry paté-like mixture. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Cool, then transfer to an airtight container and place in the fridge. If you are in a hurry and want to use straight away, spread the duxelles out on a platter in a thin layer to cool.

Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on your work surface. Arrange the prosciutto slices in the middle, overlapping them slightly, to form a rectangle large enough to wrap around the beef.

Spread the cooled mushroom duxelles evenly over the prosciutto in a thin even layer, leaving a small gap on the far edge. Depending on the shape and size of your beef you may not need to use all of the duxelles. Pat dry with paper towels. Roll the duxelles to ensure they are flat, to make sure the Wellington cooks evenly.

Remove the string from the beef if you have tied it. Brush with the mustard and place on top of the mushroom mixture on the edge closest to you. Use the plastic wrap to roll up tightly into a log, then twist the ends to secure. Chill to firm up for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Unroll the puff pastry, keeping it on the paper it comes wrapped in (or place on a piece of parchment paper). Make sure it is big enough – you may need to use a rolling pin to enlarge it slightly.

Place the egg yolks and milk in a small bowl and beat lightly to combine for the egg wash.

Unwrap the beef log and place it in the middle of the pastry sheet. Brush the edge of the pastry around the beef with egg wash.

Place the second sheet of puff pastry over the beef to cover, pressing down gently to remove any air gaps. Trim excess pastry and seal the edges with a fork. Use the back of a knife to press a crosshatch pattern onto the pastry (do not cut into it!).

Use the offcuts to decorate the Wellington if you like (I used a holly leaf cutter). Brush all over with the egg wash and chill for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Preheat the oven for 30 minutes at 425°F (220°C) or 400°F (200°C) if using a convection (fan-forced) oven.

Brush the Wellington with a final layer of egg wash, sprinkle with sea salt flakes and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the temperature in the center of the beef registers 95°F (35°C) on an instant-read thermometer.

Rest, uncovered, for at least 10–15 minutes before slicing. The temperature will continue to rise while the Wellington rests – we are aiming for a final temperature of 110°F (43°C) for rare or 120°F (49°C) for medium-rare.

Cut the Wellington into portions about 3–4cm / 1½ inches thick, using gentle, steady strokes rather than pressing straight down. Don’t saw back and forth too aggressively or you’ll crush the layers. Pair with crisp roast potatoes, green beans, carrots or parsnips and gravy.