The fillet is lightly seared to seal in the juices, wrapped in puff pastry, and baked until golden brown.

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients: Spicy wine marinade

• 1.2 kg kudu fillet (about 28 cm long)
• 200 ml (¾ cup) dry red wine
• 5 ml (1 tsp) ground cumin
• 3 ml (½ tsp) ground ginger
• 2 ml (¼ tsp) ground cinnamon
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Ingredients: Filling

• 45 ml (3 Tbsp) butter or margarine
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) cooking oil
• 125 g streaky rindless bacon, finely chopped
• 125 g button mushrooms, very finely chopped
• 1 small onion, peeled and very finely chopped
• 250 ml (1 cup) fresh white breadcrumbs
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 10 ml (2 tsp) chopped fresh thyme or 3 ml (½ tsp) dried
• 10 ml (2 tsp) chopped fresh rosemary or 3 ml (½ tsp) dried

Ingrdients: Pastry

• 15 ml (1 Tbsp) smooth mustard
• salt to taste
• 600 g ready-made puff pastry, chilled  
• 1 extra-large egg, beaten with 30 ml (2 Tbsp) milk, to glaze 

Method

1. Marinade: Trim the fillet. Mix all the ingredients together and pour over fillet. Close in a container and marinade overnight in fridge or for at least 8 hours. Remove from marinade and pat dry.

2. Filling: Heat butter and oil in a large pan and fry the fillet on all sides until golden brown. Dry well on kitchen paper and set in fridge to cool.

3. Add more oil to pan if needed and sauté the bacon, mushrooms, and onion over medium heat until soft. Stir in the breadcrumbs, seasoning, and herbs. Set aside to cool slightly.

4. Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket lengthwise into one side of the fillet, taking care not to cut completely through. Fill the pocket with the mushroom mixture, pressing down lightly.

5. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to a thickness of about 3 mm, then cut bigger than the size (in length and width) of the fillet.

6. Press down on the cut to seal the edges of the meat together. Spread mustard over the fillet and season lightly with salt. Place fillet in the middle of the pastry.

7. Fold the pastry over the fillet to enclose it like a parcel, pressing well into the sides to form a good seal. Brush the edges of the pastry, where it meets, with water to help it seal. Turn over for the seal to face downwards. 

8. Use left-over pastry to cut leaves or any shapes to decorate the pastry. Use fingers to lightly dab the decorations with water to stick them onto pastry. Brush pastry with egg and milk glaze.

9. Place on greased baking paper, on a baking tray and bake in preheated oven at 200 °C for about 40 minutes or longer until pastry turns golden brown. Serve with salad of choice.

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