Beef fillets topped with shallot and horseradish cream

Method

1. For the red wine sauce: in a shallow pan, lightly brown the beef trimmings in the oil. Add the shallots and gently fry for 3 minutes or until softened without colouring. Next add the mushrooms and cook until softened.

2. Pour over the red wine and bring to the boil. Bubble until the liquid is reduced to a quarter of the volume then add the remaining ingredients. Bring back to the boil, reduced the heat and simmer the sauce for an hour, making sure it doesn’t boil dry.

3. Pass the sauce through a sieve into a clean pan. Reduce down to thicken if necessary. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar if it is too acidic.

4. For the shallot confit: melt the butter in a pan and add the shallots and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook slowly over a very low temperature for 30 minutes to soften the shallots without colouring. Add a splash of water as needed to stop them drying out. Set aside.

5. For the horseradish: put the horseradish and cream in a pan and bring to the boil. Stir in the garlic puree and season with salt and pepper. Strain through a fine sieve or muslin cloth and set aside.

6. For the cream: reduce the cream over a low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring regularly. Add 200g of the shallot confit, 75g of the horseradish cream, the garlic and the mustard. Mix together well and season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped tarragon just before you serve.

7. For the celeriac purée: gently fry the onion and celery in the butter with a pinch of salt. When softened, but not coloured, pour in the milk and water. Add the chicken bouillon powder and celeriac, and season with pepper.

8. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, until the celeriac is very tender. Leave to cool in the liquid. Strain off and reserve the cooking liquid. Blend to a smooth puree in the food processor, adding a little of the reserved liquid if necessary.

9. For the roasted shallots: melt the butter in a large pan and add the shallots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook slowly, turning occasionally, until the shallots are golden and soft in the centre.

10. Add the vinegar to the pan and toss well. Drain of any juices and keep the shallots on kitchen paper until ready to serve.

11. For the beef: season the steaks with salt and pepper and sear in butter until nicely coloured on each side. Cook through to your liking in the pan, or transfer to a hot oven to finish cooking. Remove for the heat and leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

12. Reheat the celeriac purée and put a spoonful on to each plate, then place the fillet steak on top. Arrange about five roasted shallots around the fillet and top with the shallot and horseradish cream. Serve with the red wine sauce.