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Venison Wellington with Exotic Mushroom Sauce
This is a simple, slightly lighter version of a classic beef Wellington, using phyllo pastry instead of puff pastry.
- Serves: 2 |
- Difficulty: moderate
- Prep Time : 60 mins |
- Cook Time : 30 mins
Ingredients
Venison Wellington
400 g venison (or kudu) loin, trimmed and seasoned with salt and pepper
1 large bunch fresh Swiss chard spinach, carefully cut from the stem, washed, blanched and refreshed in ice water (squeeze out any excess water)
mushroom duxelles (see recipe below)
freshly ground salt and milled black pepper
4 large sheets phyllo pastry
Exotic mushroom and red wine sauce
70 g exotic mixed mushrooms, cut and trimmed
1 tsp (5 ml) chopped fresh thyme
½ bottle (375 ml) good red wine
C (200 ml) beef stock
Mushroom duxelles
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
250 g (1 punnet) portobella mushrooms, very finely chopped
1 tsp (5 ml) finely chopped fresh thyme
freshly ground salt and milled black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
To make the Wellington, heat a large frying to a medium heat, add the butter and when melted, add the meat and sear on all sides.Once the meat is browned all over, remove and place on a resting tray.
To make the red wine sauce, add another knob of butter to the pan, melt and then stir in the mushrooms. Add the thyme before deglazing with the red wine.
Bring the sauce to the boil and reduce by half. Add any juices from the meat on the resting tray, then add the beef stock and reduce the liquid by about one-third. This can all be done in advance. Just before you are ready to serve, bring the sauce to the boil, whisk in the rest of the butter, taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
To make the mushroom duxelles, heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Gently soften the onion and garlic in it. Add the mushrooms, thyme and seasoning and cook for 10 minutes until you have a paste-like mixture. Set aside.
While the red wine sauce is cooking, continue to make the Wellington. Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and place the cooked spinach on it to make a solid rectangular ‘sheet’ of spinach. Spread the mushroom duxelles over the spinach. Place the venison in the front centre of the rectangle and carefully roll it over, using the plastic wrap to help you, covering the venison with the mushroom duxelles and spinach.
Melt a large knob of butter. Spread a sheet of phyllo pastry on a clean working surface, brush with the melted butter and place another layer of phyllo pastry on top. Repeat.
Once you have four layers, carefully roll the venison, with the mushroom duxelles and spinach, in the phyllo pastry – make sure the meat is well covered by the pastry and trim off any excess. Carefully place on a baking tray, brush with butter once more and bake for 20 minutes.
Serve with your favourite vegetables such as tenderstem broccoli and baby carrots but something like a root vegetable mash will work just as well.
Tips: For a more indulgent version of the mushroom duxelles, add a splash of brandy. If you are preparing the meal in advance, place the prepared phyllo-covered Wellington in the refrigerator. An hour before serving, take the Wellington out of the refrigerator and bake in a preheated 180 °C oven for 20 minutes.
