Beef filet mignon with mulled wine & prune sauce

Method

1. To make the sauce, put the olive oil, shallot, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, juniper berries and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan, cover and cook gently for 10 minutes. Increase the heat, add the vinegar and let it bubble up. Add the mulled wine and stock, and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 45-50 minutes or until reduced by half, stirring occasionally, especially towards the end of cooking. Strain through a fine sieve. Add the prunes.
2. Meanwhile, season the beef with salt and pepper and smear each fillet with one tablespoon of mustard around the sides. Wrap two rashers of streaky bacon around each fillet (you may want to secure with a toothpick). Preheat your oven to 220˚C/200˚C fan-assisted/gas mark 7.
3. In a large frying pan, heat two tablespoons of oil. Sear the beef all over until browned. Put onto a roasting tray and cook in the oven for eight minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for five minutes before serving. This dish goes well with roasted vegetables.