Heat the oil and 1/3rd butter in frying pan and over a high heat seal the beef on all sides, lower the heat and cook for another 5 minutes. Cool the meat quickly by plunging into a basin of cold water. Put on rack over a plate to drain. Add the rest of the butter to the pan and cook the mushrooms for a few minutes. Put them into a bowl to cool. Set the oven to gas mark 7/220C. Soften the pate in a bowl and add the cooked mushrooms. Unroll the pastry onto a floured surface and roll out to 5" longer than the meat. Position the long end nearest you. Place beef parallel to the short end about 1" from the edge and moisten this edge with water. Spread pate on top of the beef. Bring the other end of the pastry over the beef tightly so that the beef is completely covered and seal down on the moistened border. Bring the short ends of the pastry to cover the short ends of the beef, moisten and seal them like a parcel trimming off excess pastry. Put the parcel on a heavy baking sheet and glaze with the beaten egg. Cook in the bottom of the oven for 40 minutes or longer if you prefer beef medium or well done. Leave for 10 minutes before carving.

Set the oven to gas mark 6/200C. Make 5 deep incisions into each chicken breast and tuck in slices of black pudding and apple. Put into a lightly oiled roasting tin with sprigs of thyme and brush over the top with melted butter. Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and grill for 5 minutes to brown the chicken.