Ingredients
For the beef
1 tbsp olive oil
50g/1¾oz beef fillet, sliced
For the potato cake
100g/3½oz pink fir apple potatoes
1 sprig fresh thyme
25g/1oz butter
1 tbsp olive oil
For the mushroom sauce
25g/1oz butter
1 tbsp olive oil
½ garlic clove, chopped
50g/1¾oz chestnut mushrooms
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
2 tbsp finely chopped onion
50ml/2fl oz double cream
For the asparagus
150g/5½oz asparagus
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. To make the beef, heat the oil in a small frying pan. Season the beef, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add to the pan. Stir fry the beef slices until cooked through, remove from the heat and leave to rest.
2. To make the potato cake, place the potatoes into a medium saucepan full of boiling water with a sprig of thyme and boil for ten minutes.
3. Once the potatoes are about tender, drain off the water. Add the butter and mash the potatoes, seasoning, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Oil a 7cm/3in chefs' ring and spoon in the mashed potato, pressing down to compact the potato. Remove the ring to leave your potato cake.
5. Heat the oil in a small frying pan and carefully place the potato cake into the pan. Fry for two minutes, until golden, then turn and fry on the other side for a further two minutes, or until golden.
5. To make the mushroom sauce, heat the butter and oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and fry until softened.
6. Add the mushrooms and mustard and fry for two minutes.
7. Add the cream, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
8. To make the asparagus place the asparagus with the olive oil in a large bowl and mix together well. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
9. Heat a griddle pan until smoking. Add the asparagus and char-grill for two minutes on each side, or until cooked through.
10. To serve, place the potato cake in the centre of a warm plate, place the beef on top and arrange the asparagus around it. Spoon over the creamy mushroom sauce.
