Pork Wellington: an easy Christmas main

Name: Pork Wellington: an easy Christmas main
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 pork tenderloins (fillets) of about 450 g each; 2 sheets of ready-rolled puff pastry (about 320 g each); 400 g chestnut mushrooms; 2 shallots; 1 garlic clove; 4 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried; 8 thin slices of prosciutto or cooked ham; 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard; 1 egg, beaten; 2 tbsp olive oil and 20 g butter; salt and black pepper

Prep: 45 min · Cook: 35 min · Makes: 6 · For: For grown-ups

Beef Wellington is the showstopper everyone talks about, but pork tenderloin Wellington is easier, cheaper and just as festive. The lean pork stays juicy inside a layer of ham and mushrooms, and the golden pastry looks impressive with almost no effort.

The best part: you can assemble it the day before. On Christmas Day, it goes into the oven while you have a drink with your guests.

Serve it with

Potato gratin or roast potatoes, glazed carrots, green beans and a simple gravy or mustard cream sauce.

Tips

Dry mushrooms are key. Keep cooking until the pan is dry and the mixture sticks together.
Everything cold. Warm filling melts the butter in puff pastry and makes it soggy.
Use a thermometer. Tenderloin is small and cooks quickly, so check it rather than guessing.

Little helpers

Children can brush on the egg, cut stars from the pastry trimmings and stick them on top. A grown-up handles the hot pan and the oven.

Ingredients

2 pork tenderloins (fillets) of about 450 g each
2 sheets of ready-rolled puff pastry (about 320 g each)
400 g chestnut mushrooms
2 shallots
1 garlic clove
4 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
8 thin slices of prosciutto or cooked ham
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp olive oil and 20 g butter
salt and black pepper

Method

Trim any silvery skin from the pork and season it. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the tenderloins all over for about 5 minutes. Let them cool, then brush with the mustard.
Chop the mushrooms very finely (a food processor makes this quick) and finely chop the shallots and garlic.
Melt the butter in the same pan and cook the mushrooms, shallots, garlic and thyme leaves over a medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes, until all the liquid has evaporated and you have a dry paste. Season and let it cool completely.
Lay four slices of ham, slightly overlapping, on a sheet of cling film. Spread half the mushroom mixture over the ham, put one tenderloin on top and use the film to roll the ham tightly around the meat. Twist the ends and chill for 20 minutes. Repeat with the second tenderloin.
Unwrap each parcel onto a sheet of pastry, roll the pastry around it and seal the edges with beaten egg. Trim off excess pastry and tuck the ends under.
Put the Wellingtons seam-side down on a lined baking tray, brush with egg and score a light pattern on top with the back of a knife. You can now chill them for up to 24 hours.
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas mark 6). Bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and the pork reaches 63°C in the centre.
Rest for 10 minutes, then cut into thick slices with a serrated knife.

Questions

How do I stop the pastry going soggy?

Cook the mushrooms until completely dry, cool everything before wrapping, and bake on a hot baking tray. The ham layer also protects the pastry from the juices.

Can pork be a little pink?

Pork tenderloin is safe and juicy at 63°C followed by a 10-minute rest, which leaves it very slightly pink. Cook it longer if you prefer it well done.

Can I make it the day before?

Yes, prepare it up to the egg wash, cover and chill. Bake it straight from the fridge, adding about 5 minutes.