Beef, Asparagus & Rarebit Stacks

We are using Westcombe's Raw Milk Cheddar to make a traditional rarebit mix, fortified with dark stout. It makes substantial lunch paired with the first of the UK asparagus and some slow-cooked Grass Fed Beef Brisket (this recipe is perfect for leftovers from a Sunday roast or barbecue).

The rarebit mix is best made ahead of time as it sets and becomes easy to roll out and place on top of the Grass Fed Beef Brisket. It makes a bit more than you need but will store in the fridge for about a week, and will likely disappear long before that.

Ingredients

300g

Grass Fed Rolled Beef Brisket, shredded
200g

Westcombe Raw Milk Cheddar, grated
25g

Raw Milk Cultured Butter
25g

White Flour
1 tbsp

Worcestershire sauce
½ tbsp

Dijon mustard
100ml

Gilt & Flint Oatmeal Stout
A pinch

Cayenne pepper
200g

Asparagus, trimmed
2

Organic Wild White Sourdough, thick slices
A few

Salad leaves, to serve

BUY AVAILABLE INGREDIENTS

Method

To make the rarebit, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and work it together into a smooth paste. Keep it on a gentle heat for a few minutes until it starts to smell slightly biscuity.
Add the Worcestershire sauce, mustard and stout. Mix well and let it come to a gentle simmer and thicken. Throw in the grated cheese and work it all together until the cheese has melted and you have a smooth thick paste.
Add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper to taste. Transfer to container, leave to cool and refrigerate until needed.
When you are ready to serve pop a frying pan onto the heat with a dash of oil. Add the asparagus with a pinch of salt - if your asparagus spears are particularly fat then split them lengthways first.
Fry on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until nearly cooked through; they should still have some bite at this point. Remove the asparagus from the pan and then add the shredded beef. Fry for a couple of minutes until heated through and starting crisp and brown at the edges.
Turn on the grill and toast the bread on both sides. Divide the asparagus spears between the toast and then top with the crispy beef. Take two generous golf ball-sized pieces of rarebit mix and roll or form each one into a clumsy oval, slightly smaller than the toast.
Pop them on top of the beef and slide them under the grill until the rarebit has melted and coloured well on the top. Serve immediately with some simply dressed salad leaves.