Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Beef Wellington is a traditional British dish, consisting of beef fillet and mushroom pâté rolled up in golden puff pastry. To give it a South African twist, we have replaced the beef fillet with a springbuck lion fillet. Springbuck meat is a healthy protein option that is low in fat and is usually free-range or organic, which means it is free of antibiotics and hormones.
Try these Hawaiian chicken and bacon kebads on your braai this December.
Serve the Wellington with your favourite sides, such as classic mashed potatoes, gravy and vegetables. Alternatively, serve with salad for a lighter version.
Ingredients
- 600–700g springbuck loin
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 50g butter
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 400g mushrooms of your choice
- 1 tbsp thyme, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp brandy or white wine
- 12 slices prosciutto
- 400g ready-made puff pastry, thawed
- 2 egg yolks, beaten
- Some flour for dusting
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Season springbuck loin with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and sear the meat all over for about eight minutes. Chill in refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Chop mushrooms finely or use a food processor. It should resemble rough breadcrumbs.
- Sauté onions and garlic in the butter until translucent. Add mushrooms and thyme to the pan. Lastly, add the brandy and cook for about five more minutes or until the alcohol has evaporated. Set the mushroom pâté aside to cool.
- To assemble the Wellington, place two to three pieces of cling wrap on a surface. Line the centre of the cling wrap with two rows of six prosciutto pieces, allowing them to overlap slightly. Spread the mushroom pâté in an even layer over the prosciutto. Place the fillet in the centre of the pâté. Now using the edges of the cling wrap, carefully cover the fillet in the prosciutto and pâté layers to form a tight roll. Tightly twist the edges of the cling wrap around the fillet to keep the roll in place. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
- After 30 minutes, carefully unwrap the prosciutto roll. Place the thawed puff pastry on a floured surface, and place the fillet roll in the centre of the puff pastry.
- Fold the bottom half of the pastry over half of the fillet. Lightly brush the other half of the sheet with beaten egg. This will help the puff pastry roll to seal.
- Roll the covered half of the fillet toward the egg to cover the meat. Neatly fold the shorter edges to create a parcel.
- Place the roll on a baking sheet. Smooth the pastry around the meat with your hands, and press it firmly to get rid of air bubbles. Brush the pastry all over with beaten egg yolk and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Finally, the Springbuck Wellington can be placed on a heated and greased baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes (35 minutes for well- done). Rest for 20 minutes and then cut the Springbuck Wellington into slices to serve. – Ursula Human, Plaas Media
