Anniversary Dinner

Ingredients (2 portions)

• 350 g beef fillet, from the thick centre (centre-cut, trimmed of fat and sinew)
• 1 tbsp olive oil, for searing
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 300 g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped (a food processor makes this quick)
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried thyme)
• 1 tbsp olive oil, for the mushrooms
• 4 slices prosciutto or Parma ham (about 60 g)
• 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry (about 320 g), chilled
• 1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tsp of water, to glaze
• 400 g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 25 g butter, for the mash
• 50 ml milk, for the mash
• 200 g green beans, trimmed
• 10 g butter, for the beans
• 15 g butter, for the gravy
• 1 tbsp plain flour, for the gravy
• 1 cube beef stock cube
• 250 ml hot water for the gravy
• 1 tsp redcurrant jelly or cranberry sauce, for the gravy
• 1 pinch salt and black pepper

Method

1. Sear the beef: pat the fillet dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan over a high heat until smoking. Sear the beef for 1 minute on each side and the ends, until browned all over. Lift onto a plate, brush all over with the mustard, and leave to cool completely.
2. The mushrooms: heat the other 1 tbsp of oil in the same pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the mushrooms, shallot, garlic and thyme for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring, until all of the liquid has gone and the mixture is dry and paste-like. Season well and leave to cool.
3. Wrap in ham: lay a large sheet of cling film on the worktop and overlap the prosciutto slices on it in a rectangle, slightly wider than the beef. Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the ham. Put the beef on one edge, and using the cling film, roll it up tightly into a neat log, twisting the ends like a sweet. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
4. Wrap in pastry: unroll the pastry on a sheet of baking paper. Unwrap the beef and put it near one edge of the pastry. Brush the edges with egg yolk, roll the pastry around the beef, trim the excess, and press the seam and ends to seal, tucking the ends under. Put it seam side down on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush all over with egg yolk and score a pattern with the back of a knife. Chill for 20 minutes.
5. Bake: heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Brush the pastry again with egg yolk, sprinkle with a little salt and bake for 30 to 35 minutes for medium-rare (a thermometer in the centre should read 50 to 55°C), or 38 to 40 minutes for medium (60°C). Rest on a board for 10 minutes before cutting.
6. The mash and beans: boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, drain and mash with the 25 g of butter and the milk. Boil the beans for 4 minutes, drain and toss with the 10 g of butter.
7. The gravy: melt the 15 g of butter in a small pan, stir in the flour for 1 minute, then gradually add the stock cube dissolved in 250 ml of hot water. Simmer for 5 minutes, stir in the redcurrant jelly and season.
8. Cut the Wellington into thick slices with a very sharp knife and serve with the mash, beans and gravy.

Swaps

Chicken breast wrapped in the same way (cook to 75°C). A mushroom and chestnut Wellington for a vegetarian anniversary. Pancetta in place of the prosciutto.

Ingredients (2 portions)

• 200 ml double cream
• 55 g caster sugar
• 1 large lemon (zest of half, juice of the whole, about 45 ml)
• 4 shortbread biscuits, to serve
• 4 raspberries or a few strawberries, to decorate (optional)

Method

1. Put the cream and sugar in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil and simmer for exactly 3 minutes, watching it carefully so it does not boil over.
2. Take it off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and the lemon zest. It will thicken very slightly as it cools.
3. Leave for 5 minutes, then pour through a sieve into 2 small glasses or ramekins.
4. Let it cool to room temperature, cover and chill for at least 3 hours, until set like a soft, silky pudding.
5. Serve with the shortbread on the side, and a raspberry on top.

Why does it set?

Just cream, sugar and lemon juice: the acid in the lemon thickens the hot cream, so no gelatine or eggs are needed.

Swaps

Orange or lime in place of the lemon (use a little less juice for orange). Raspberry coulis under the posset. Crushed ginger biscuits in place of the shortbread.