Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 500g/1lb 2oz middle-cut fillet of beef
• 110g/3½oz butter
• 2 shallots
• finely chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• leaves picked
• 150ml/5fl oz madeira
• 150ml/9fl oz red wine
• 250ml/9fl oz beef or veal stock
• 20 button onions
• peeled
• 300g/11oz mixed wild mushrooms
• cleaned
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh chervil
• 1 bulb smoked garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 900g/2lb floury potatoes
• peeled
• roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 350ml/13fl oz double cream

Directions

• For the beef
• preheat the oven to 60C/140F/Gas ¼.
• Heat one tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a frying pan. Add the beef and fry for 1-2 minutes
• turning regularly
• or until browned all over. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside to cool.
• Wrap the fillet in heatproof clingfilm or aluminium (see Top recipe tip) and roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Use a meat thermometer to check the core temperature of the beef
• it should be 57-59C /135-138F for medium-rare.
• Remove the beef from the oven and heat a frying pan until hot.
• Add the remaining oil and a knob of butter to the pan and fry the beef in the pan for no more than 30 seconds on each side.
• Meanwhile
• heat a saucepan until hot
• add a knob of butter
• the shallots and thyme and sweat for a 2-3 minutes
• or until just softened. Add the madeira and cook until the volume of the liquid has reduced by half.
• Add the red wine and continue to cook until the volume of the liquid has reduced by reduce by two-thirds
• then add the stock and bring to the boil.
• Continue to cook until the volume of the liquid has reduced by reduce by two-thirds
• then add a knob of butter
• salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat a frying pan until hot
• add the remaining butter and the button onions and fry for 2-3 minutes
• or until golden and just tender. Add the mushrooms and fry for another 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper
• then stir in the chervil.
• Meanwhile
• for the mash
• preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Cut the top and bottom off of the smoked garlic and place on a roasting tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes
• or until softened.
• Meanwhile
• cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 15-18 minutes
• or until tender. Drain and return to the pan over the heat to drive off any excess moisture.
• Remove the garlic from the oven and squeeze the flesh into the potatoes.
• Mash the potatoes
• then return the pan to the heat and add the olive oil
• cream and milk. Beat the mixture until smooth. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve
• spoon the mushrooms onto serving plates. Carve the beef into thick slices and place onto the plates. Spoon the mash alongside then finish with a drizzle of madeira jus.