Step 1

Gently sauté garlic and shallots in the the finely chopped mushrooms in the butter for about 6 minutes until soft.

Step 2

Add the chopped mushrooms and the whole sprig of thyme and gently cook for 10 minutes so most of the mushroom liquor is cooked off.

Step 3

remove the sprig of thyme

Step 4

Add the wine, a splash of lemon juice and season to taste.

Step 5

Cook gently until all of the liquid has gone.

Step 6

The duxelles should stick together easily.

Step 7

Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Step 8

Hammer the steak really well with a steak mallet so it is quite thin and almost doubled in size. Cut into two pieces.

Step 9

Fry the steaks to your liking in a little butter or olive - drain any excess fat after frying

Step 10

Slice a 'lid' off the loaf, leaving enough room in the remaining loaf to stuff with the steaks and duxelles

Step 11

Hollow out the lid and loaf and discard or whizz up in a food-processor to make breadcrumbs for another time

Step 12

Lay the first steak in the base of the loaf - trim and arrange to fit, see photos

Step 13

Add the duxelles mixture

Step 14

At this point you could add spread with some English mustard or horseradish sauce. I fried the steaks in chilli oil so have omitted this step

Step 15

Cover with the remaining steak

Step 16

Replace the 'lid'

Step 17

Wrap in greaseproof paper and tie with kitchen string.

Step 18

Wrap in a tea-towel and press under a heavy weight for 24 hours.

Step 19

The garage seemed the safest place to leave this, judging by the attention the cats were giving it!

Step 20

I pressed the loaf between a plate and a cutting board, under a very heavy car tool-kit.