This summertime Wellington layers beef fillet with spinach, mushrooms, ricotta, herbs and lemon, then bakes it in crisp puff pastry until golden. Served with sharp shallot and parsley salad plus cool tarragon cream, it feels rich, fresh and balanced, with every slice bringing savoury depth and bright seasonal lift.
Prep: over 2 hours
Cook: 30 mins to 1 hour
Serves: 4
By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes
Summertime Wellington is a rich savoury main with beef, puff pastry, ricotta and crème fraîche, balanced by spinach, herbs, lemon and a fresh salad. The overall Nutri-Score is C because the recipe combines protein and vegetables with pastry and creamy elements.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 250g/9oz large spinach leaves
- 400g/14oz chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 banana shallots, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 1 tsp lemon thyme leaves
- 10g/⅓oz chives, chopped
- 10g/⅓oz flatleaf parsley, chopped
- 250g/9oz ricotta, drained
- 1 medium free-range egg, beaten
- 500g/1lb 2oz beef fillet
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 250g/9oz mushroom filling
- 500g/1lb 2oz puff pastry
- egg wash, for brushing
- 1 banana shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1 tbsp Moscatel vinegar
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 10g/⅓oz flatleaf parsley leaves
- 3 tbsp crème fraîche
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp tarragon, chopped
- lemon juice, to taste
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Customise
- Beef fillet can swap for a thick mushroom and lentil centre for a vegetarian version.
- Ricotta can swap for mascarpone if you want a richer filling.
- Moscatel vinegar can swap for white wine vinegar with a pinch of sugar.
Method
- Build the mushroom filling. Cook the spinach in a large frying pan until wilted, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can and chop it roughly. Add the mushrooms, garlic and shallots to the pan and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the liquid has evaporated. Season well, then leave the mixture to cool completely before you move on.
- Finish the filling mixture. Stir the lemon zest, lemon thyme, chives, parsley, ricotta and egg into the cooled mushroom mixture. Taste again and season with salt and black pepper, keeping the texture fairly firm so the Wellington slices neatly later.
- Sear and chill the beef. Put the beef fillet into a hot pan and sear it until browned all over. Transfer it to a plate, leave it to cool, then chill it until firm. This can overlap with preparing your pastry space and lining up the rest of the ingredients.
- Wrap the Wellington. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Spread some of the mushroom filling over the pastry, place the chilled beef on top, then cover it with the remaining filling. Wrap the pastry around the beef, crimp the edges to seal, and brush the surface with egg wash.
- Chill before baking. Put the wrapped Wellington in the fridge for 20 minutes. While it chills, preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7 so it is hot and ready when the pastry goes in.
- Bake until golden. Bake the Wellington for about 35 minutes, or until the pastry turns golden and the beef is cooked to your liking. Let it rest for 20 minutes before slicing so the juices settle and the layers hold together.
- Mix the salad and cream. Combine the shallot, capers, Moscatel vinegar, olive oil and parsley leaves in a bowl, then season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, mix the crème fraîche, Dijon mustard, tarragon and lemon juice, then finish with black pepper to taste.
- Serve with confidence. Slice the Wellington and serve it warm or at room temperature with the shallot and parsley salad and tarragon cream. The salad sharpens the rich pastry, while the cream brings a cool herbal note that suits the summertime Wellington beautifully.
For the best result, keep the filling cool and the beef well chilled before wrapping. If you want cleaner slices, use a sharp knife and let the Wellington rest fully before serving.