BEEF WELLINGTON WITH RED WINE JUS
A classic Beef Wellington is an impressive and indulgent centrepiece for an elegant Christmas celebration.
Ed Cudlipp, also known as ‘Cud Cooks’, serves his as an alternative to traditional turkey: a festive showstopper to impress family and friends.
A perfectly cooked fillet of beef is wrapped in tender spinach crêpes and a rich mushroom duxelles enriched with chestnuts and truffle. These lend an earthy, nutty depth and an extra layer of sophistication to the dish. Encased in golden puff pastry and served with a rich red wine jus, this Wellington is a feast for the senses and a culinary delight.
Ed uses Robert Welch Professional Knives to prepare the ingredients with precision and ease. The Campden Low Casserole is ideal for searing the beef and cooking the aromatic chestnut mushroom duxelles, while the Campden Saucepans ensure perfect heat distribution and total control when reducing the jus. Together, they bring this festive centrepiece to life.
INGREDIENTS (Serves 4 generously):
1kg centre-cut fillet of beef
500g chestnut mushrooms, very finely chopped or blitzed in a food processor
100g cooked chestnuts, very finely chopped or blitzed in a food processor
2 banana shallots, finely diced
4 sprigs of thyme, finely chopped
2 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp truffle oil
4 large spinach crepes (see below)
8 slices of prosciutto
2 sheets of puff pastry
1 sheet of puff pastry to use as lattice
2 eggs, beaten for the egg wash
Fresh thyme sprigs to garnish
30g butter
English mustard
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Red wine jus
1kg beef bones
2 beef marrow bones
500g beef offcuts
3 banana shallots
500ml red wine
1L water
3 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
Salt and sugar to taste
Spinach crêpes
100g plain flour
2 large eggs
150ml whole milk
100g fresh spinach, blanched and refreshed in ice water
1 tbsp melted butter
Pinch of salt
METHOD:
BEEF WELLINGTON
-
1. Prepare the beef: Ensure the fillet is dry and season generously with salt. Season either immediately before going into the pan, or a number of hours ahead of time, to ensure moisture is not extracted and sitting on the surface which will limit the browning. Heat a drizzle of oil in the Campden Low Casserole Pot until smoking hot. Sear the beef on all sides until golden brown. Keep to 1-2 minutes per side, ensuring this does not cook the inside of the fillet. Remove and set aside to cool, and then brush all over with English mustard.
2. Make the duxelles: In the same pot, add the butter and shallots and cook gently with a touch of truffle oil until softened. Add the mushrooms, chestnuts, garlic, and finely chopped herbs and cook, stirring often, until all the moisture has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper, then spread on a plate and set aside to cool.
BEEF WELLINGTON
-
1. Prepare the beef: Ensure the fillet is dry and season generously with salt. Season either immediately before going into the pan, or a number of hours ahead of time, to ensure moisture is not extracted and sitting on the surface which will limit the browning. Heat a drizzle of oil in the Campden Low Casserole Pot until smoking hot. Sear the beef on all sides until golden brown. Keep to 1-2 minutes per side, ensuring this does not cook the inside of the fillet. Remove and set aside to cool, and then brush all over with English mustard.
2. Make the duxelles: In the same pot, add the butter and shallots and cook gently with a touch of truffle oil until softened. Add the mushrooms, chestnuts, garlic, and finely chopped herbs and cook, stirring often, until all the moisture has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper, then spread on a plate and set aside to cool.
3. Prepare the spinach crêpes: In a blender, blend the milk and spinach until fully combined. In a bowl, whisk the flour and eggs until combined. Gradually add the spinach milk as you whisk until fully combined. Heat a non-stick pan and cook thin crepes, then set aside to cool.
4. Assemble the Wellington: Lay out cling film on a flat surface. Lay the crepes flat on the cling film and overlap the prosciutto slices on top. Spread the duxelles evenly over the prosciutto aiming for a layer of about half a centimetre, then place the beef at the edge. Using the cling film, roll the crepe, prosciutto, and duxelles tightly around the beef. Wrap this into a tight cylinder and place in the fridge to set.
5. Wrap in pastry: Roll out the puff pastry, connecting two sheets if one is not large enough. Brush with egg wash and place the beef parcel on one side. Wrap the beef parcel in the puff pastry, sealing it tight and ensuring the ends are closed. Brush all over with egg wash. Using a lattice cutter, cut a pastry lattice and lay this top. Brush the lattice with egg wash. Stud the lattice gaps with sprigs of thyme.
6. Bake: Place the Wellington on a baking sheet and bake at 200°C in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. Rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
BEEF AND RED WINE JUS
Start 6 hours before you want to serve this
1. Roast the bones: Preheat the oven to 220°C. Place the bones, marrow bones, offcuts, and shallots on a baking tray. Roast for 30 minutes or until well browned.
2. Deglaze and simmer: Transfer the roasted bones, offcuts and shallots to a Campden Saucepan. Turn on high and then add the red wine, boiling the alcohol off. Then add water, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer with a lid on for 3-4 hours.
3. Reduce to a jus: Strain the liquid into another Campden Saucepan, discarding the solids. Simmer with no lid until reduced to a silky jus which coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and sugar to taste once reduced – do not add before reducing as this may be too seasoned.
PLATING
1. Slice the beef Wellington into thick portions about 3cm wide and place on a plate.
2. Spoon the rich, glossy jus over and around the slices.
3. Serve immediately.
3. Prepare the spinach crêpes: In a blender, blend the milk and spinach until fully combined. In a bowl, whisk the flour and eggs until combined. Gradually add the spinach milk as you whisk until fully combined. Heat a non-stick pan and cook thin crepes, then set aside to cool.
4. Assemble the Wellington: Lay out cling film on a flat surface. Lay the crepes flat on the cling film and overlap the prosciutto slices on top. Spread the duxelles evenly over the prosciutto aiming for a layer of about half a centimetre, then place the beef at the edge. Using the cling film, roll the crepe, prosciutto, and duxelles tightly around the beef. Wrap this into a tight cylinder and place in the fridge to set.
5. Wrap in pastry: Roll out the puff pastry, connecting two sheets if one is not large enough. Brush with egg wash and place the beef parcel on one side. Wrap the beef parcel in the puff pastry, sealing it tight and ensuring the ends are closed. Brush all over with egg wash. Using a lattice cutter, cut a pastry lattice and lay this top. Brush the lattice with egg wash. Stud the lattice gaps with sprigs of thyme.
6. Bake: Place the Wellington on a baking sheet and bake at 200°C in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. Rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
BEEF AND RED WINE JUS
Start 6 hours before you want to serve this
1. Roast the bones: Preheat the oven to 220°C. Place the bones, marrow bones, offcuts, and shallots on a baking tray. Roast for 30 minutes or until well browned.
2. Deglaze and simmer: Transfer the roasted bones, offcuts and shallots to a Campden Saucepan. Turn on high and then add the red wine, boiling the alcohol off. Then add water, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer with a lid on for 3-4 hours.
3. Reduce to a jus: Strain the liquid into another Campden Saucepan, discarding the solids. Simmer with no lid until reduced to a silky jus which coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and sugar to taste once reduced – do not add before reducing as this may be too seasoned.
PLATING
1. Slice the beef Wellington into thick portions about 3cm wide and place on a plate.
2. Spoon the rich, glossy jus over and around the slices.
3. Serve immediately.