Jamie Oliver and Prosciutto-Wrapped Beef Fillet

I was tele-rouletting through the channels the other night when I came across Jamie Oliver doing some one-on-one coaching for a woman who was having some of her girlfriends over for lunch. He helped her design the menu, took her shopping for the produce and then gave her his number so she could phone with any queries as she made the meal. Then, inevitably, he turned up for dessert and flirting. I know Curtis Stone does much the same sort of thing in the US. How do I make this happen to me? Why are there are no TV chefs wandering around my local supermarket when I am looking confused and trying yet again to answer the eternal question*? I need help as much as the next person! Pick me! Pick me!



The sad reality is that the closest I am going to get to Jamie designing a menu for me, is cooking the meal that he made for the lady on his show. And it did look good, and it did seem easy. Unfortunately I was too caught up in my wonderings about TV chefs to pay attention to what he did with the beef, which then forced me to buy the cookbook in question ("Return of the Naked Chef " by Jamie Oliver). He's smart that Jamie Oliver, or at least smarter than me, it would appear. And I can tell you now, that whether or not you have Jamie Oliver in your kitchen or not, this is a simple recipe that looks quite dramatic presented whole to the table, and tastes good too. And if you know Jamie Oliver, would you mind sending him round?



* In case you were wondering, the eternal question is not "what is the meaning of life?", it is "what will I cook the family for dinner?"

Roasted Fillet of Beef Rolled In Herbs and Mushrooms and Wrapped In Prosciutto
adapted from "The Return of the Naked Chef" by Jamie Oliver

12 slices prosciutto

3 cloves garlic

200g mushrooms sauteed in olive oil with one clove garlic until cooked

900g fillet of beef, whole

Fresh chopped rosemary and thyme to taste

2 glasses red wine

Preheat your oven and baking sheet to 230C. Lay prosciutto out on a sheet of baking paper, each slice overlapping slightly, so that you have what looks like a giant sheet of prosciutto with no gaps in it. Spread the mushrooms along the length of the prosciutto. Season the beef fillet and roll it in herbs. Lay the seasoned beef on the prosciutto and, using the baking paper, roll up the meat in the prosciutto. Once rolled, discard the paper and tie the prosciutto on firmly with kitchen string (in about four spots will do).

Put the beef on the pre-heated baking sheet with a couple of cloves of garlic, and cook for 30 mins (medium rare). Halfway through, add red wine to the tray. When the meat is done, allow it to rest for 5 mins. Tip any juices that are released by the beef, back into the tray, mix juices together and serve as a jus over the sliced beef fillet. Serve with greens and mashed potato.