A whole beef fillet seared and wrapped in mushroom duxelles, salty Parma ham, and golden puff pastry, then baked until the crust shatters and the meat stays rosy and pink within. This showstopping Gordon Ramsay classic is the ultimate centrepiece for a special occasion.
Cook ModePulse the mushrooms with some seasoning in a food processor to a rough paste. Scrape into a pan and cook over high heat, tossing frequently, until the moisture has cooked out. Spread on a plate to cool.
mushroomsHeat a frying pan with a little olive oil. Season the beef and sear in the hot pan for 30 seconds on each side, just to colour it. Remove and leave to cool, then brush all over with the mustard.
olive oil
beef fillet
English mustardLay a sheet of cling film on a work surface and arrange the Parma ham in slightly overlapping rows. Spread the mushroom paste over the ham, then set the seared beef in the middle. Using the cling film, roll the ham and mushrooms tightly around the beef into a barrel shape and twist the ends to secure.
Parma hammushroomsbeef filletChill the wrapped beef to allow it to set and keep its shape.
beef filletRoll out the puff pastry on a floured surface to a large rectangle the thickness of a coin. Remove the cling film from the beef and lay it in the centre. Brush the surrounding pastry with egg yolk, fold the ends over and wrap the pastry around the beef, trimming any excess. Turn seam-side down onto a baking sheet, brush all over with egg yolk and chill to let the pastry rest.
puff pastry
flourbeef fillet
egg yolksHeat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.
Lightly score the pastry at 1cm intervals and glaze again with beaten egg yolk. Bake for 20 minutes.
egg yolkspuff pastryLower the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4 and cook for a further 15 minutes.
Rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving with your choice of side dishes. The beef should still be pink in the centre.
beef filletSubstitutions, timing tweaks — anything to remember next time.
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