Venison Wellington

Everyone knows the classic Wellington, so, so, perfect for special occasions and is a showstopper on the dinner table. Venison takes it up a notch as it is not something that most people eat on a regular basis. The cut of meat is a loin fillet which is off the bone and to make sure it is an even piece to use for the Wellington, is cut from the centre of the loin.

1 (1¼ lb) loin of venison or boneless saddle (550 g)
goose or duck fat, massaged into beef (5 mL)
Paris brown mushrooms (300 g)
2 banana shallots, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
10 tarragon leaves, chopped
sweet Sherry or Madeira (25 mL)
unsalted butter (25 g)
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
2 savoury pancakes (about 30 cm diameter)
all-butter puff pastry (350 g)
1 egg yolk mixed with 5 mL milk, beaten

How to Cook the Duxelle:
Soften the shallots and garlic in 10 g butter over a gentle heat. Add the mushrooms, raise the heat and cook until all the moisture has gone. Add the sherry and cook until dry once more. Taste the mixture and season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped tarragon and set to one side to cool.

How to Cook the Venison:
Sear the venison in a very hot frying pan, seasoning with salt and pepper until a rich colour has formed. Add the remaining butter and baste the foaming butter over the meat for 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and chill until the fillet is cold.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C, 185°C fan).

Assemble the Wellington:
Roll out the pastry to an oblong approximately 30 cm square and 5mm thick, making sure the pastry will wrap around both the meat and the duxelle.

Trim and lay the pancakes onto the pastry, leaving a 10 cm pastry edge at top and bottom. Spread a thin layer of duxelle over the pancakes.

Position the beef two-thirds of the way up the duxelle. Brush the edges of pastry with the egg and milk mix.

Taking care not to tear the pastry, start at the point nearest to you and fold the parcel over encasing all the filling. Gently seal the folded edge furthest away from you using the outer side of your small finger.

Gently indent into the sealed edge a table fork creating a secure seal. Trim the excess pastry away 10 mm from the fold.

Carefully score the pastry top with a sharp knife, making sure you don’t go through the pastry and expose the filling.

Brush with the egg and milk mix, place onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, the pastry should be golden brown and brittle when cooked.

Using a meat thermometer, check the temperature of the beef which should be 54°C after resting for 10 minutes, remove the Wellington from the oven at 50°C if you want a pink beef wellington.

Makes 2 servings.