Ingredients
For the cauliflower purée
50g/2oz butter, cold
1 large white onion, sliced
1 large or 2 small cauliflower heads, chopped
250ml/9fl oz milk, or more if required
For the beef
1 litre/2 pints beef consommé or beef stock
1 tbsp olive oil
4 x 250g/9oz fillets Welsh Black beef
For the snails
knob of butter
20 frozen 'oven-ready' snails (available from specialist shops and online) or canned snails
100g/3½oz fresh wild garlic leaves or 1 wild garlic root (substitute 2 fresh young garlic cloves if unavailable)
25g/1oz shallots, finely chopped
24 Welsh asparagus spears, blanched
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh thyme sprigs
Method
1. For the cauliflower purée, melt half the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the onion and cook gently until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped cauliflower, stir briefly and cover. Cook until tender, being careful not to let the cauliflower brown. Add the milk and bring to the boil. Remove from heat.
2. Blend the cauliflower in its liquid in a food processor with the remaining butter. Push through a fine sieve into a bowl and set aside.
3. For the beef, bring the consommé or stock to a gentle simmer in a large pan.
4. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan until very hot and brown the beef fillets on all sides. Drop into the simmering stock and poach for eight minutes (for rare beef). Do not let the stock boil. Remove the meat and rest it for five minutes.
5. For the snails, melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the snails, the wild garlic and shallots and cook until ?. Add the blanched asparagus spears and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6. To serve, spoon some cauliflower purée onto each plate, place the beef on top and garnish with the snails, wild garlic and asparagus.
