Roast sirloin of Perthshire Highland beef with Ayrshire potatoes and asparagus

Ingredients

For the radish relish
12 red radishes, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tbsp good-quality aged sherry vinegar
4 tbsp light olive oil, not too peppery
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the potatoes
12 small new potatoes
duck fat, melted
For the parsley butter
knob of butter
1 heaped tbsp chopped parsley
For the beef and gravy
1kg/2¼lb boned sirloin or rib-eye of Perthshire Highland beef
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ glass red wine (about 65ml/2fl oz)
100ml/3½fl oz beef stock
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp plain flour
For the vegetables
20 asparagus spears
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 baby carrots
12 baby turnips
300g/10½oz fresh peas
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 120C/250F/Gas 1.
2. First make the radish relish. Mix all the relish ingredients together, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and leave overnight in the fridge.
3. For the potatoes, cut the top and bottom off each potato to make a barrel shape, then put them in a roasting tray and drizzle over the duck fat. Place in the oven to cook for 25-30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the parsley butter by mashing the ingredients together.
5. When the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven and keep in a warm place.
6. Turn up the oven to 230C/450F/Gas 8.
7. Season the beef with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then sear in a hot roasting tin on top of the cooker. Add the red wine. Transfer to the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes. Leave to rest in a warm place for at least 15 minutes before serving.
8. Prepare the gravy. Skim any excess fat from the juices in the roasting tin, then add the stock. Bring to the boil. Mash the butter with the flour to make a beurre manié. Add this in small pieces to the hot juices, whisking to thicken. Check the seasoning.
9. For the vegetables, put the asparagus in another roasting tin, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then roast for 5-7 minutes. Pop the potatoes into the oven to reheat for about eight minutes. Cook the carrots and turnips in boiling salted water until just tender; drain. Cook the peas and drain. To finish toss the carrots, turnips and peas together with the parsley butter. Keep hot.
10. To serve, spoon the mixed vegetables into the centre of the warm plates and arrange the asparagus to the side. Slice the beef and fold over to give height, then place on the vegetables. Stand the potatoes alongside. Pour over the gravy and finish with a good spoonful of radish relish.