The beef is a cross between Aberdeen and Charolais.

Ingredients
(Serves four)

300g piece beef fillet
15ml oil or clarified butter
4 x 50g portions foie gras

For the sauce (makes 12-16 portions)
40g shallots, finely diced
40g carrots, finely diced
20g butter
Sprig thyme
3 peppercorns
1 bayleaf
1 bottle Madeira
500ml good veal jus
Sliced truffle (optional)

Method
Caramelise shallots and carrots in butter, add thyme, crushed peppercorns, bayleaf and Madeira and reduce by two-thirds. Add veal jus and cook until it coats the back of a spoon, pass through muslin and check for seasoning. Keep for service.

Caramelise beef as whole piece in hot oil or butter then cook whole at 59°C for 90 minutes. This should give you a good medium-rare beef. Sear the foie gras in a hot pan until browned on each side then drain on kitchen paper.

Reheat the sauce and infuse with the sliced truffle for flavour. Serve the beef with crushed charlotte potatoes, spinach, carrots and shimeji mushrooms.

By André Garrett