Beef fillet in a pastry crust with horseradish cream

Ingredients :

• 750g whole piece beef fillet
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tspn ground pepper
• 100g chicken pâté
• 1 x 375g packet puff pastry
• beaten egg for glazing
  for Sauce :
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 1 tbsp bottled or grated horseradish
• 1 tbsp chopped chives

Preparation and Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 210°C.
2. Trim meat of excess fat. Tie meat with string to help hold its shape while cooking. Rub the surface of the meat with garlic, 1 tbsp oil and pepper.
3. Heat remaining oil in a large pan. Add meat and quickly brown all over on high heat to seal in juices, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Remove string.
4. Roll pastry into a rectangle about 40 x 30cm or large enough to encase meat. Spread the top surface of the cooled meat with pâté. Place meat pâté-side-down onto pastry, glaze edges with egg and seal. Place on a baking tray pâté-side-up, glaze and decorate with pastry off-cuts. Bake 25-35 minutes. Stand 10 minutes before carving into 2cm thick slices and serve with accompanying sauce.
5. To make sauce : Mix together the sour cream, horseradish and chives and beat well to combine. Transfer to sauceboat or decorated bowl.
6. Cooks notes : If horseradish is unavailable, add 2 tbsp of French mustard to the cream as a substitute. Use eye fillet rather than Scotch fillet for this dish because it is leaner. The butter in the chicken pâté and puff pastry will keep the meat moist.