Beef Wellington

Valentines Day is approaching... Want to impressing your significant other with your hidden culinary skills. Then look no further. This looks delicious, has steak and simple to make.

Also for you single people (such as myself) who want to treat themselves to this then its easy to make for yourself too. As a great queen says 'If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?  Can I get an amen?'

Serves 1/2

Fillet Steak 8oz x 1/2 (best from local butcher)
1/2 Tbs of Dried Porcini Mushrooms (Soak before cooking)
1/2 Handful of Chestnut Mushrooms. sliced
2/4 Slices of Prosciutto
Ready Roll Puff Pastry
1 Egg, beaten in a bowl
Butter
Olive Oil

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan assisted. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Roll out the puff pastry and layer the prosciutto onto the pastry.

2. Heat some butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Put onto kitchen roll. Then put on top of the prosciutto.

3. Then add olive oil to the pan and butter if it needs it. Season the fillet. Add the fillet steak to the pan. Cook until browned all over. Then remove from the pan and rest for 10 minutes.

4. Add the steak on top of the mushrooms and wrap the pastry round the steak. Place the sealed side onto the baking sheet on the tray. Egg wash and put in the oven for 20 minutes. The outside should be golden brown. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.

I recommend serving with Dauphinoise potatoes and seasonal green vegetables. Wine accompiant I go for a full body red wine.

Mushroom Risotto (V)

Risotto is a bit tricky but when you cook it right it tastes delicious. An italian dish which most people love. Also if you are a mushroom lover then add more porcini mushrooms.

Serves 4

1 litre of Vegetable Stock
125g Unsalted Butter
200g Mushrooms
50g Porcini Mushrooms
150 ml White Wine
200g Risotto Rice (I used Arborio)
50g Parmesan, plus extra to serve
1 tsp Thyme
2-3 Garlic cloves, crushed
1-2 Onions, finely sliced
Salt and Pepper

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry for about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the mushrooms and thyme and cook for about 5 minutes to heat through.

3. Pour the wine into the saucepan and increase the heat. The wine needs to disappear to remove the alcohol.

4. Stir in  the rice and fry for about a minute.

5. Add a ladleful of stock to the pan. Wait until the stock has absorbed and keep adding a ladleful of stock until its all gone. This should take 10-15 minutes.

6. Once the stock has gone mix in the parmesan cheese. Leave it to rest for a couple minutes then serve with extra grated parmesan.