Individual Lamb Wellington Parcels With A Madeira Sauce Food

INDIVIDUAL BEEF WELLINGTONS

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the mushrooms, onion, sherry, butter or margarine and parsley and saute until all the liquid is absorbed and the mixture resembles a paste. Cover the top of each steak with the mixture.
• Partially thaw the puff pastry sheets and roll out pieces thin enough to cover the top, sides and bottom of each steak. Place the steaks on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until serving time.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Bake steaks uncovered in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. (Note: They will be rare but will continue cooking while dish is sitting.)

BEEF WELLINGTON WITH RED WINE GRAVY

Steps:

• First soak the dried porcini in 400ml of kettle-hot water and set aside. Pat the beef fillet with kitchen paper to dry it of any blood then season with salt and then heavily with black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan until very hot then spend 8-10 mins searing and turning the fillet with tongs until it's well browned on all sides. Hold it up to sear both ends as well. Set the beef aside on a tray to catch any juices and turn the heat off the pan but don't clean it.
• Drain and squeeze out the dried porcini but reserve the juice and tip the porcini into a food processor with the other mushrooms and thyme. Season everything with salt and pepper and pulse until finely chopped but not completely smooth. Place the beef pan back on the heat with the butter and when it starts to sizzle add the shallot and cook for 2 mins until softened. Turn the heat up and tip in the mushrooms, add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and cook everything for 10-12 mins until you have a paste that comes away from the side of the pan. Tip into a bowl to cool, stir through the parmesan if using and set aside. Turn off the heat from the pan but don't clean it. The beef can be seared and the mushroom mixture can be made several hours in advance.
• For the first stage of assembly get a large sheet of cling film and overlap the prosciutto slices on it in a row, tip the mushroom mix on top then cover with another sheet of cling film. Either with your hands or a rolling pin, pat it down or roll it out to a thin layer that just covers the prosciutto. Remove the top sheet of cling film and sit the fillet down the centre of the mushrooms. Using the edge of the cling film lift and roll the prosciutto and mushrooms to encase the beef then use the cling film to roll everything into a tight sausage. For the best results now place the sausage in the freezer for 30 mins to firm up - do not leave for longer of cooking times will be affected.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry to a rectangle a little larger than a magazine, trim the edges to neaten and save the trimmings. Lightly brush the pastry all over with beaten egg. Carefully unwrap the prosciutto parcel and lay in the middle of the pastry. Like wrapping a parcel or making a spring roll fold the shorter edges over the fillet then roll the whole thing around the fillet to encase. For a really neat finish get another clean sheet of cling film and roll the Wellington into a sausage tight sausage again. Place in the fridge and chill for at least 30 mins or up to a day.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 with a sturdy, lightly oiled baking tray in it. Re-roll the pastry trimmings and use to make 6 leaves. Unwrap the wellington, brush all over with egg then decorate with the leaves. Brush the leaves with more egg. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and transfer, sealed side down to the heated baking tray. Bake the for 10 mins then reduce the heat of the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and continue to bake for 25 mins for rare meat, 30 mins for medium rare, 35 mins for medium and about 45 mins for well-done, making sure the pastry doesn't burn (you can cover it with foil if it starts to become too dark. Remove from the oven and leave for 10 mins to relax.
• To make the gravy, heat the butter in the mushroom pan and fry the shallot, thyme and bay, scraping the crispy bits of the pan with a wooden spoon. Scatter over the flour and brown then splash in the brandy, sizzle for a minute, then add the red wine and boil to a purple paste. Pour in the mushroom soaking liquid, avoiding the gritty bits at the bottom, crumble in the stock cube and any juice from the resting beef and simmer for 5 mins until you have a tasty gravy, season to taste.
• Using a very sharp knife carefully carve the wellington into six thick slices. You can trim the pastry ends and serve them separately. Serve on heated plates with a jug of gravy.
• First soak the dried porcini in 400ml of kettle-hot water and set aside. Pat the beef fillet with kitchen paper to dry it of any blood then season with salt and then heavily with black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan until very hot then spend 8-10 mins searing and turning the fillet with tongs until it's well browned on all sides. Hold it up to sear both ends as well. Set the beef aside on a tray to catch any juices and turn the heat off the pan but don't clean it.
• Drain and squeeze out the dried porcini but reserve the juice and tip the porcini into a food processor with the other mushrooms and thyme. Season everything with salt and pepper and pulse until finely chopped but not completely smooth. Place the beef pan back on the heat with the butter and when it starts to sizzle add the shallot and cook for 2 mins until softened. Turn the heat up and tip in the mushrooms, add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and cook everything for 10-12 mins until you have a paste that comes away from the side of the pan. Tip into a bowl to cool, stir through the parmesan if using and set aside. Turn off the heat from the pan but don't clean it. The beef can be seared and the mushroom mixture can be made several hours in advance.
• For the first stage of assembly get a large sheet of cling film and overlap the prosciutto slices on it in a row, tip the mushroom mix on top then cover with another sheet of cling film. Either with your hands or a rolling pin, pat it down or roll it out to a thin layer that just covers the prosciutto. Remove the top sheet of cling film and sit the fillet down the centre of the mushrooms. Using the edge of the cling film lift and roll the prosciutto and mushrooms to encase the beef then use the cling film to roll everything into a tight sausage. For the best results now place the sausage in the freezer for 30 mins to firm up - do not leave for longer of cooking times will be affected.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry to a rectangle a little larger than a magazine, trim the edges to neaten and save the trimmings. Lightly brush the pastry all over with beaten egg. Carefully unwrap the prosciutto parcel and lay in the middle of the pastry. Like wrapping a parcel or making a spring roll fold the shorter edges over the fillet then roll the whole thing around the fillet to encase. For a really neat finish get another clean sheet of cling film and roll the Wellington into a sausage tight sausage again. Place in the fridge and chill for at least 30 mins or up to a day.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 with a sturdy, lightly oiled baking tray in it. Re-roll the pastry trimmings and use to make 6 leaves. Unwrap the wellington, brush all over with egg then decorate with the leaves. Brush the leaves with more egg. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and transfer, sealed side down to the heated baking tray. Bake the for 10 mins then reduce the heat of the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and continue to bake for 25 mins for rare meat, 30 mins for medium rare, 35 mins for medium and about 45 mins for well-done, making sure the pastry doesn't burn (you can cover it with foil if it starts to become too dark. Remove from the oven and leave for 10 mins to relax.
• To make the gravy, heat the butter in the mushroom pan and fry the shallot, thyme and bay, scraping the crispy bits of the pan with a wooden spoon. Scatter over the flour and brown then splash in the brandy, sizzle for a minute, then add the red wine and boil to a purple paste. Pour in the mushroom soaking liquid, avoiding the gritty bits at the bottom, crumble in the stock cube and any juice from the resting beef and simmer for 5 mins until you have a tasty gravy, season to taste.
• Using a very sharp knife carefully carve the wellington into six thick slices. You can trim the pastry ends and serve them separately. Serve on heated plates with a jug of gravy.

LAMB PARCELS EN PAPILLOTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees centigrade.
• Cut four 40cm circles out of baking parchment. Rub each circle with a little olive oil, then place a leg steak on one half. Scatter over the onion, garlic, oregano, and a little salt and pepper.
• Top with a bay leaf and then fold in half to form a semi circle. Fold over the edges to seal then, just before you have completely enclosed the steak, pour in a little white wine, then finish off the folding, ensuring that the steaks are completely sealed.
• Place the parcels on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Carefully transfer each parcel to a plate and serve.

ROAST RACK OF LAMB WITH MADEIRA-PEPPERCORN REDUCTION

Steps:

• Finely chop 2 medium shallots. Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped shallots and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add Madeira and green peppercorns. Boil uncovered until mixture is reduced to cup, about 12 minutes. Remove sauce from heat.
• Arrange trimmed racks of lamb on rimmed baking sheet. Cut remaining 4 medium shallots in half and push through garlic press. Coat lamb with pressed shallots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover sauce and lamb separately and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Roast lamb 25 minutes. Increase heat to 500°F and continue to roast until lamb browns and meat thermometer inserted into center of lamb registers 130°F, about 5 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Bring peppercorn sauce to simmer. Whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cut lamb between ribs into chops. Arrange lamb chops on plates. Spoon peppercorn sauce around lamb and serve.

INDIVIDUAL LAMB WELLINGTON PARCELS WITH A MADEIRA SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a pan add mushrooms, cook until soft, add onion, cooking stirring until onion softens, add herbs, cream and salt and pepper, cook until liquid has evapourated., set to one side.
• Lightly flour a surface and roll out puff pastry, cut in half so you have 2 separate sheets, enough to cover both fillets completely, depending on the size of your fillets, you will either use all or have a little left over. I usually make some jam tarts if this is the case.
• Take a lamb fillet and spread half the pate over the top and sides of the meat, press half the mushroom onto the pate.
• Take a pancake and place it on top of the mushroom mixture, carefully turn it over laying it, pancake, mushroom side down onto the pastry, fold up the other part of the pancake to cover underside of lamb, fold remaining pastry over the pancake to form a little parcel, brush joining ends of pastry with milk or eggs to seal. Decorate top of pastry if desired.
• Place lamb parcels on a lightly oiled baking tray and bake in pre-heated oven of 200 degrees Celsius for 30-40 Min's or until pastry is browned and risen.
• Sauce:.
• Bring Madeira and stock to the boil, mix a little water with the cornflour add to sauce and stir until it thickens slightly, add morels and stir to combine.
• To Serve: I served mine over parsnip mash and vegetables and drizzled with the sauce.

LAMB EN CROûTE WITH REDCURRANT SAUCE

Steps:

• Season the lamb well. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry three fillets over a high heat for 5 minutes until seared on the outside. Remove from the pan and repeat with the other 3 fillets. Set aside until cold.
• Unravel the whole pack of pastry on a floured surface and cut into four rectangles. Cut the half pack to make two rectangles. Roll out each piece to make the rectangles 2.5cm larger all round.
• Position one rectangle with a short side facing you, brush with egg yolk and sprinkle with a sixth of the chopped sage. Put a lamb fillet on the pastry close to the end facing you, then fold the long sides in to cover the ends of the meat; brush these with more egg yolk.
• Freeze the lamb parcels on a tray until solid for 4 hours, then pack in a freezer container. Seal, label and freeze for up to a month.
• To make the sauce, melt the redcurrant jelly in a pan over a gentle heat, add the port and rosemary and boil uncovered for 10-12 minutes until syrupy. Cool for 5 minutes, strain into a freezer container, then leave until completely cold. Seal, label and freeze for up to a month.
• On the day defrost the lamb seam-side down on a wire rack for 3 hours at room temperature. Defrost the sauce at room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to fan 200C/ conventional 220C/gas 7. Put the parcels seam-side down on a nonstick baking sheet, brush with egg yolk, then snip four incisions in the top of each. Bake for 25 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and rest them for 5-10 minutes. Reheat the sauce in a pan.
• Slice each parcel and serve with the sauce and watercress salad.