Seared beef fillet with mushroom pate and morel sauce

Method

1. For the mushroom pâté; melt the butter and soften the shallots and garlic for a minute. Add the thyme leaves and mushrooms, and continue cooking for 5 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the pan from the heat, season the pâté and chill for 2 hours.

2. Place the 2 beef fillet 'medallions' on a board and spread 1 fillet with the mushroom pâté. Top with the other medallion, and tightly wrap the layered steak in food-grade plastic wrap. This helps set the fillet in shape. Chill for an hour.

3. For the beetroot puree, cook the whole beetroot in boiling salted water until soft - about 40 minutes. Drain, peel and transfer to a bowl. Add the orange zest and puree with a stick blender or in a food processor. Leave on one side.

3. Melt the butter in a frying pan with the oil, and fry the steak 'sandwich' for 3 minutes each side for a rare steak. Cook for longer if you prefer meat to be well done. Leave in a warm place for 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

4. For the morel sauce, soften the shallots, celery and carrot for 2-3 minutes on a low heat. Add the reserved thyme stem, the morels and the wine. Bring the sauce to boil and reduce by half. Pour in the stock and continue cooking down over a high heat, until reduced by two thirds.

5. Warm through the beetroot puree and divide between 2 plates. Halve the steak and arrange on top of the beetroot. Drizzle over the sauce and accompany with braised cabbage and crisp-fried bacon rashers.