Venison Wellington

Directions

1. Dry the venison, then season well with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sear the meat all over for about 8 minutes. Brush with mustard, leave to cool, then chill for 20 minutes. Save any juice for the gravy.
2. Melt the butter and soften the shallot and garlic. Add the mushrooms, herbs and seasoning, and cook for 10 minutes until you have a paste-like mixture. Add the brandy and cook until it&rsquo,s evaporated. Leave to cool.
3. Overlap 2-3 sheets of cling film on a clean surface and lay the prosciutto in 2 rows, slightly overlapping each slice. Spread the cooled mushroom paste all over the prosciutto, creating a thin, even layer. Place the loin in the center of the mushroom mixture. Using the edge of the cling film, carefully draw the layer of prosciutto and mushroom around the meat. Roll into a sausage shape, twisting the ends of the cling film as you do, to form a tight log. Chill for 30-40 minutes to firm up.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry to a rectangle a little larger than a magazine, and trim the edges to neaten. Carefully unwrap the prosciutto parcel and lay it in the middle of the pastry. Fold over the bottom half of the pastry. Lightly brush the rest of the sheet with a beaten egg.
5. Roll the whole thing around the meat to encase. Neatly fold under the shorter edges to create a parcel. Transfer to a baking sheet and, using your hands, smooth the pastry around the meat, pressing it firmly to avoid any air being trapped. Brush the pastry all over with beaten egg yolk. Chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Then, using the back of a knife, mark the pastry, being careful not to cut all the way through. Heat oven to 400 F. Lightly oil a non-stick baking tray and heat until hot. Put the Wellington on a tray and bake for 30 minutes (35 for well done) Remove from oven and rest for 20 minutes.