Ingredients:

• 2 lean beef steaks
• 2 garlic cloves
• 200g shallots
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 crumpled bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 200g asparagus
• 1 teaspoon flaked sea salt, plus extra to season
• freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 360 F/ Gas mark 4. Place the steaks in a non-corrosive dish. Crush the garlic finely and rub it over steaks. Season generously with sea salt and [ pepper and set aside to marinate for 30-60 minutes.

Peel the shallots and trim the ends. Halve lengthways and place in a small oven-proof dish in which the shallots fit snugly - this is important. In a small bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar with 100ml of water and pour it over the shallots. Add the bay leaf and place in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the olive oil in another oven-proof dish and add the trimmed asparagus. Rub the asparagus with the oil then sprinkle with the sea salt and black pepper. When the shallots have been cooking for 30 minutes, remove them from the oven and stir throughly. Return the shallots to the oven, placing the dish of asparagus in the oven at the same time, and cook for another 20 minutes.

Ten minutes before the end of cooking the asparagus and shallots, heat a griddle over a very high heat until smoking. Use kitchen paper to wipe the crushed garlic from the steaks, then add them to the pan. Immediately turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 1-2 minutes, depending on how thoroughly you like steak cooked.

Remove the shallots and asparagus from the oven and arrange on serving plates. Top with the steak and serve accompanied by a chutney or mustard, if desired.