Fireside Feasts: Cooking over coals at Mrs Higgs

For our first recipe, Connor shares a springtime favourite inspired by his stay at Mrs Higgs in Herefordshire: a perfectly charred Hereford ribeye served with Wye Valley asparagus, peppery radishes, and a simple herb crème fraîche sauce. Cooked over glowing coals and made with locally sourced ingredients, it’s best enjoyed outdoors with good company and nowhere else to be.

Hereford Ribeye with Wye Valley Asparagus & Radishes

“Far be it from me to discourage anyone from a proper pile of chips alongside their steak - that is a joy in itself. But when spring is at its height and British asparagus and radishes are nudging their way into the shops, this feels like the more honest choice. Crisp, fresh and alive with the season. 

I cooked this on a trip to Mrs Higgs' cottage in Herefordshire, a county with a deep and quiet pride in its beef. The bone-in ribeye came from a farm half a mile down the road from where we were staying, the asparagus from the Wye Valley just beyond. There's something deeply satisfying about a lunch that comes together like that. This is a dish for a slow afternoon, good company, and no particular rush.

 This works equally well with other thick cuts of beef, the key is choosing something generous enough to reward a slow and attentive cook. The sauce, simple as it is, might just be the star of the plate.”

Serves 2-3

• 1 kg bone-in ribeye
• 2 bunches of British asparagus (roughly 750g)
• A handful of fresh radishes, washed and trimmed
• 2 generous tbsp crème fraiche
• I tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 lemon, juice only
• A small bunch of soft herbs - thyme, marjoram or rosemary all work well
• Extra virgin olive oil, to finish
• Flaky sea salt and black pepper

Method

If you're cooking this outside, and I really hope you are - give yourself time to build a proper fire with a good bed of coals.

You want two zones of heat, one fierce, one gentle. The steak will spend time in both.

Generously season the steak on both sides,  a piece of beef this size needs a proper amount of salt and pepper to really get into the flesh. 

Lay it over the indirect heat with the fat cap facing inward, allowing it to soften and begin to render while the meat slowly takes on smoke.

While the beef is doing its thing, prep the asparagus by snapping or cutting away the woody base of each stem, roughly an inch. Toss in a little olive oil, season lightly, and set aside until the beef is ready to sear.

Cook time will vary with thickness. Once the steak has developed a deep colour and feels right, or reads 54-57°C on a probe for a lovely medium-rare, it is time to move things along 

Transfer to the direct heat, steak and asparagus together, and let them both take on a proper char. Three to four minutes a side. The asparagus should blister and catch at the tips. Then move everything away from the heat and leave it to rest while you make the sauce.

The sauce is deliberately unfussy, which is exactly what makes it work. Combine the crème fraîche, mustard, lemon juice and finely chopped herbs in a bowl and stir until smooth. Taste and adjust; it should be sharp, creamy, and just a little herby.

To carve, work around the bone first, then slice against the grain - it makes all the difference to the tenderness. Lay it all out together: beef, asparagus, radishes, a generous spoonful of sauce. Finish with a drizzle of your best olive oil and a last pinch of flaky salt.

Field’s note: This recipe works beautifully over a fire pit, but can also be recreated indoors using a cast-iron pan.

Perfect pairing: Amie Carignan, a light, fruit-forward red made for long lunches and relaxed evenings around the fire.

Follow along for more fire pit recipes.