The classic dish for connoisseurs and advanced cooks, the ideal recipe for a special event

Ingredients

• 1 beef fillet (approx.1.6 - 1.8kg)
• 200g cooked ham for the mushroom farce ("Duxelle")
• 500-600g fresh porcini mushrooms
• 3-4 shallots
• Flat-leaf parsley
• 500g frozen puff pastry
• 2 egg yolks
• Butter
• Tomato puree
• Seasoning

Preparation

The only difficult part is the “Duxelle”. It must have exactly the right consistency to guarantee that it won’t sag in the oven.

1. To ensure the right consistency, add a little cooked ham to the “Duxelle”.
2. Trim the fillet. Remove fat and all sinews.
3. Remove both ends of the fillet and put aside for other purposes. (Perhaps a nice goulash or a delicious clear beef soup.) The end of the fillet is too thin to remain pink on the inside after cooking time the oven.
4. Season with salt and pepper and fry it in a suitably-sized pan. Allow to cool.
5. Brush the mushrooms with weak lemon juice before chopping.
6. Cut the cooked ham into chunks.
7. Sweat the shallots in a little butter
8. Add mushrooms and a tablespoon of tomato puree.
9. Add the chopped parsley and cooked ham.
10. Check the taste, making sure it is quite spicy, and allow to cool.
11. Roll the frozen puff pastry on a flour-covered surface.
12. Cut the pastry into large pieces, making sure that they are large enough to cover the fillets that are covered with “Duxelle”.
13. Distribute the Duxelle equally.
14. Whisk the yolks with water.
15. Cover the corners of the pastry with the whisked yolk.
16. Roll the puff pastry covering somewhat thinner than the base.
17. Put the ends together, and cut off any extra pastry.
18. Press the wrap firmly together and cover with the remainder of the yolk.
19. Perforate the pastry a little, allowing excess liquid to escape while in the oven.
20. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
21. Place the pastry fillets into the oven and allow to cook for approx. 45-55 minutes.
22. The puff pastry will turn an appetising golden-brown colour.
23. Check occasionally. If the pastry is getting too dark long before the required time in the oven, cover it with aluminium foil.
24. The fillet must stay pink on the inside. Remove the fillet and “allow to sit”. It has to rest for a little while to ensure it is equally succulent at every point.
25. Cut the fillet into slices as thick as a man’s finger and enjoy.