Classic Beef Wellington

Finely dice 4 shallots. Finely chop 600g mushrooms either by hand or in a food processor, being careful not to make it mushroom purée.

In a frypan over medium-low heat, add 60g butter, 30ml olive oil, the diced shallots, and salt. Cook until shallots are nice and translucent. Add the finely chopped mushrooms, 8 thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper, and cook for 20 minutes or until the mushrooms are nice and dry. Add 50ml whiskey, stir, and continue to cook until evaporated, then remove from heat and chill in the fridge.

In a bowl, mix 50g flour, 1 egg, 130ml milk, and salt together with a whisk until nice and consistent. Rest the batter for 15 minutes. In a clean non-stick pan over medium heat with a little butter, pour a ladleful of batter to cover the bottom, cook for about 1.5 minutes until set, flip, and cook 4 crepes in total.

Coat 1.2kg beef fillet in grape oil and season thoroughly with salt on all sides. In a screaming hot cast iron pan with a little oil, sear the beef on all sides including the ends for 1.5 to 2 minutes per side until a hard crust forms. Remove from pan and generously brush with Dijon mustard while hot.

On plastic wrap, lay out the 4 crepes without gaps. Add 100g prosciutto overlapping slightly, spread an even layer of the mushroom duxelle, and place the mustard-coated beef in the centre. Trim extra crepe edges and roll tightly using the plastic wrap to form a firm cylinder with a small seam at the bottom. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

In a bowl, beat 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk together with a whisk to make the egg wash.

Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap, place 350g puff pastry on it, and remove plastic layer. Place the chilled beef log in the centre, brush the pastry seam with egg wash, roll tightly to encapsulate with a small seam at the bottom, trim extra pastry, and roll tightly in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Optional: roll a pastry lattice roller over an extra puff pastry sheet. Unmold the chilled Wellington onto a baking tray with silicone mat, brush generously with egg wash, drape the stretched lattice over it, trim excess edges, brush with egg wash again, and season with flaky sea salt.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 to 40 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp, and the internal temperature of the beef reaches 46°C. Remove from the oven and rest thoroughly on a wire rack.

Using a sharp knife, slice the rested Beef Wellington straight down to reveal the medium-rare pink beef centre. Plate a slice alongside mashed potatoes and sauce, and serve.