Bœuf en croûte, mushroom duxelles

Name: Bœuf en croûte, mushroom duxelles
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: For the fillet:; 800 g centre-cut beef fillet, trimmed; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp Dijon mustard; Sea salt, black pepper; For the duxelles:; 500 g brown mushrooms, very finely chopped; 2 shallots, finely diced; 30 g butter; 2 sprigs thyme; 50 ml dry sherry; To wrap:; 8 wafer-thin slices air-dried ham; 1 sheet puff pastry (all-butter); 1 egg yolk, beaten; a little flour for working

A tender beef fillet wrapped in dark mushroom duxelles and crisp puff pastry: when you cut into it, the pink meat shows beneath the golden crust, the moist mushroom layer smells of the forest. A festive centrepiece that demands precision.

Beef & Game Category

40 MIN Prep time

55 MIN Cook time

4 people Servings

Ingredients

For the fillet:
800 g centre-cut beef fillet, trimmed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Sea salt, black pepper

For the duxelles:
500 g brown mushrooms, very finely chopped
2 shallots, finely diced
30 g butter
2 sprigs thyme
50 ml dry sherry

To wrap:
8 wafer-thin slices air-dried ham
1 sheet puff pastry (all-butter)
1 egg yolk, beaten
a little flour for working

Perfect Pairing

Sarabande

Perfect Pairing

Gigue

Preparation

Sear the fillet

Season the fillet with salt and pepper and sear all over in hot oil for 2 minutes. Let cool, then brush thinly with mustard.

Roast the duxelles

Sweat the shallots in butter until translucent, add the mushrooms and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, until all the moisture has evaporated. Deglaze with sherry, add thyme, season and let cool completely.

Wrap

On cling film, lay out the ham slices overlapping, spread the duxelles on top, set the fillet on it and roll up tightly using the film. Chill for 20 minutes.

Wrap in puff pastry

Unwrap the parcel from the film, wrap in the puff pastry, seal the seams, brush with egg yolk and chill again for 15 minutes.

Bake

In an oven preheated to 200 °C, bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown (core temperature 52 °C for pink). Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Why this wine?

With Sarabande:

The Sarabande meets the tender fillet and the earthy duxelles with ripe, velvety fruit; its finely polished tannin takes up the fat of the ham and settles beneath the mushroom aromas.

With Gigue:

The Gigue brings a brighter, energetic fruit — it keeps the rich crust fresh and sets a lively accent against the wild-mushroom aroma.