Beef Wellington

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1. 1Step 1: Put the beef on a board and season with salt and pepper. Melt half the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat until starting to foam. Put the beef fillet in the pan and brown for 4-5 mins on each side, taking care not to burn the butter. Put the beef on a plate to cool.
2. 2Step 2: Melt the remaining butter in a pan, add the shallots and cook for 1 min. Drain the porcini, reserving the liquid, then finely chop. Add the porcini to the pan with the reserved liquid and the garlic and flat mushrooms. Increase the heat and cook until the mushrooms are dry, then season and add the thyme. Set aside to cool.
3. 3Step 3: Put the chicken liver pâté in a bowl and beat until smooth. Add the cooled mushroom mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Season to taste.
4. 4Step 4: Transfer the beef fillet to a board and use a palette knife to spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the beef.
5. 5Step 5: Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and shape into a rectangle measuring 30cm x 40cm. Transfer to a sheet of baking parchment and lay the parma ham slices over the pastry, leaving a 2-3cm border around the edge. Place the mushroom-coated beef in the centre of the parma ham layer and wrap the ham over the beef as though wrapping a present. Liberally brush the edges of the pastry with some of the beaten egg and grasp the paper to gently but tightly roll over the beef. Cut off any excess pastry (saving it for use in decorations) and tuck both ends of the pastry underneath the parcel. Use a knife to fully seal the edges.
6. 6Step 6: Brush the pastry with more of the beaten egg and decorate the top with pastry roses if you like (to do this, roll out thin strips of excess pastry, thin out one edge by pressing with your thumb, then twirl and roll each strip into a rose shape with the thumbprint edge uppermost – you can create a few leaves, too).
7. 7Step 7: Brush all over with the remaining egg to glaze, then put in the freezer for 20 mins. Heat oven to 200C, fan 180C, gas 6.
8. 8Step 8: Take the wellington out of the freezer and place on a baking sheet. Cook for 30–40 mins (for medium-rare) or 1 hr (for well done), reducing the temperature to 180C, 160C fan, gas 4 halfway through cooking. Leave to stand for 10 mins, then carve and serve.