Today we’re off to Britain—the country that gave the world culinary classics. We’re cooking two iconic dishes that have become global symbols of British cuisine.
🥩 Beef Wellington
A legendary celebratory dish: melt-in-your-mouth beef tenderloin, baked in crisp puff pastry with mushroom duxelles and pâté. Outside—a golden crust. Inside—juicy medium-rare meat.
Ingredients:
• Beef tenderloin (center-cut) — 800 g
• Button mushrooms — 400 g
• Shallots — 2
• Garlic — 2 cloves
• Fresh thyme — 4 sprigs
• Liver pâté (or foie gras) — 150 g
• Puff pastry (store-bought) — 500 g
• Prosciutto or pancetta — 8–10 thin slices
• Dijon mustard — 2 tbsp
• Egg yolk — 1
• Olive oil — 3 tbsp
• Salt, black pepper — to taste
Method:
1. Prep the meat: Trim all sinew and silver skin from the tenderloin, shaping it into an even cylinder about 20 cm long. Generously salt and pepper on all sides. Heat a skillet on max heat with 2 tbsp olive oil until lightly smoking. Sear the tenderloin for 1–1.5 minutes per side (four sides total) until deep golden-brown. The outside should be crusty, the inside completely raw. Brush the hot meat with Dijon mustard on all sides, transfer to a plate, and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
2. Make the mushroom duxelles: Finely chop the mushrooms by hand (2–3 mm cubes) or pulse in a food processor until coarsely crumbled. Dice the shallots and garlic (1–2 mm). Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat, add the shallots and garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes until translucent. Add the mushrooms and thyme leaves, increase heat to high. Cook, stirring constantly, for 12–15 minutes until all liquid evaporates and the mixture turns dark and dry. The mushrooms should shrink to a third of their original volume and take on a rich brown color. Season with salt and pepper, then cool completely.
3. Assemble the roll: Lay a large sheet of cling film (40×40 cm) on your work surface. Arrange the prosciutto slices in an overlapping rectangle (25×30 cm) with no gaps. Spread the pâté evenly over the prosciutto in a thin layer (2–3 mm), then the mushroom duxelles in a 5 mm layer. Place the chilled tenderloin at one edge of the rectangle. Using the cling film, tightly roll the meat in the prosciutto and filling, forming a snug cylinder. Twist the ends of the film like a candy wrapper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight). The roll should firm up and hold its shape.
4. Wrap in pastry: Roll out the puff pastry into a 30×35 cm rectangle, 3–4 mm thick. Unwrap the meat roll from the cling film and place it at one edge of the pastry. Brush the pastry edges with beaten egg yolk. Tightly wrap the meat in the pastry, crimping the seam underneath and folding in the sides. Flip the Wellington seam-side down onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the entire surface with beaten egg yolk in two layers (second layer after 5 minutes). Use a knife to score decorative diagonal lines (shallow, just the top layer of pastry). Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
5. Bake: Preheat the oven to 200°C. Bake the Wellington for 25 minutes until golden, then reduce the temperature to 180°C and cook for another 15–20 minutes. For medium-rare, the internal temperature should reach 52–54°C (check with a thermometer through the side). The pastry should be deep golden, crisp, with no pale spots.
6. Rest: Remove the Wellington from the oven and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes. The meat will redistribute its juices, so they won’t spill out when sliced. Cut into 2–3 cm thick portions with a sharp knife. The cross-section should reveal a pink center surrounded by layers of mushrooms, pâté, and prosciutto.
7. Serve immediately with classic British sides: mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus or green beans, and red wine sauce. Each slice should hold its shape, the pastry should crackle, and the meat should be juicy and tender.
💡 Fact: Beef Wellington is named after the Duke of Wellington, Napoleon’s vanquisher at Waterloo. One theory claims the dish resembled the shape of his boots; another suggests it was his favorite banquet dish.
🐟 Fish and Chips
Britain’s most recognizable dish: white fish fillet in a crisp beer batter, fried to a golden crust, with thick-cut chips. Served with malt vinegar, mushy peas, and tartar sauce.
Ingredients:
• Cod or haddock fillets — 600 g (4 pieces, 150 g each)
• Large potatoes — 800 g (4–5)
• All-purpose flour — 200 g
• Baking powder — 1 tsp
• Light beer (lager or ale) — 250 ml
• Cornstarch — 2 tbsp
• Salt — 1 tsp + for seasoning
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying — 1.5–2 L
• Malt vinegar — for serving
• Lemon — 1
Method:
1. Prep the potatoes: Peel the potatoes and cut into 1.5 cm thick batons (classic British thickness—thicker than standard fries). Rinse in cold water 2–3 times, changing the water until it runs clear—this removes excess starch. Pat the potatoes completely dry with a towel, or the oil will splatter.
2. First fry (blanching): Pour oil into a deep pot or fryer to a depth of at least 8 cm. Heat to 130–140°C (check with a thermometer or drop in a piece of bread—it should sizzle slowly). Fry the potatoes in batches for 8–10 minutes, avoiding any browning. They should soften inside but stay pale outside. Drain on paper towels and cool for at least 15 minutes (can be prepped ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 hours).
3. Make the batter: In a bowl, whisk together 150 g flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Pour in the cold beer and stir quickly with a whisk until smooth—it should resemble thin sour cream with a few lumps (this is normal). Don’t overmix, or the batter will turn dense. Let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes—the beer will bubble, making the batter airy.
4. Prep the fish: Pat the fillets completely dry with paper towels. Cut into 150 g portions if needed. Salt both sides. Mix the remaining 50 g flour and cornstarch on a flat plate. Dredge each fillet in the mixture, shaking off excess—a thin flour layer helps the batter cling.
5. Fry the fish: Increase the oil temperature to 180–190°C (a piece of bread should sizzle and brown in 30 seconds). Dip a fillet in the batter, letting excess drip off for 2–3 seconds, then carefully lower it into the oil away from you. Fry 2 pieces at a time (don’t overcrowd) for 5–7 minutes, flipping once, until deep golden. The batter should be crisp, bubbly, and textured. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels, then salt immediately.
6. Second fry (finish): Return the oil to 180–190°C. Fry the blanched potatoes in batches for 3–4 minutes until golden-brown and crisp. They should be crunchy outside and fluffy inside. Drain on paper towels and season generously with coarse salt.
7. Serve immediately: Arrange the fish and chips on a plate lined with parchment or newspaper (traditional British presentation). Serve with malt vinegar in a bottle, lemon wedges, mushy peas (canned is fine, just reheated), and tartar sauce. The fish should crackle when bitten, the flesh inside should be snowy white, moist, and flaky.
💡 Fact: Fish and Chips emerged in Britain in the 1860s thanks to Jewish immigrants, who brought the tradition of frying fish in batter. The first fish and chips shop was opened by Joseph Malin in London in 1860, and the dish quickly became a national treasure, especially beloved by the working class.