Roast Beef Fillet with Mushroom, Cannellini Bean, Kale & Stilton Gratin

Serves 4

Ingredients

700g beef fillet (centre cut)

200g bacon lardons, 1cm cubes

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 large onion, sliced

250g flat mushroom, roughly chopped

200g black kale, roughly chopped

175ml white wine

400g tinned cannellini beans

300ml double cream

200g cherry tomatoes

100g Stilton, crumbled into small chunks

Thyme, a few sprigs

Method

1. Place an oven tray in the oven at 140°C/Fan 120°C/Gas 1. Heat a heavy based frying pan until smoking hot. Add 2 tbsps of vegetable oil. Fry the beef and the thyme stalks (saving the leaves for the gratin) for 2 minutes on each side until browned.

Transfer the beef onto the oven tray and cook in the oven for approx 45 minutes, or until the centre reads 54OC (medium rare) on a temperature probe.

Whilst the beef is cooking, make the gratin. Place a large, shallow pan (a 34cm paella pan is ideal) on a medium heat. In 2 tbsps of olive oil, fry the bacon lardons for 5 minutes/until the fat has crisped. Remove when cooked and set aside.

Add the garlic, cook for 20 seconds. Add the onion, cook for 6 minutes until soft/brown. Add the mushrooms and thyme leaves, cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the kale, cook for 3 minutes.

Return the bacon to the pan, add the white wine and reduce until almost dry.

Drain the beans and add to the pan along with the double cream, bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Scatter the cherry tomatoes and Stilton over the mix. Do not stir. Set aside whilst the beef cooks, place in the oven for 10 minutes whilst the beef finishes cooking.

Remove the beef from the oven and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice and place across the top of the gratin to serve.