It is just the start of the season of one of my favourite vegetables – asparagus. Only the young shoots are eaten and it has a wonderful delicate flavour. Asparagus is low in calories, contains no fat or cholesterol and is low in sodium. It is also a good source of folic acid, potassium and fibre and is rich in amino acid. Asparagus also has medicinal properties, being a diuretic. French asparagus is in the shops at the moment as Irish asparagus won’t be available until late May or so. The first asparagus of the season is the best. Growing asparagus is quite tricky and it takes a few seasons to get it right. White asparagus has a very different flavour and texture to green asparagus and is grown in dark deprived of light hence its white colour. I devised this dish which marries together wonderful flavours that are so well suited and it is a big hit at Thornton’s at this time of year.
Warm White Asparagus with Truffle Hollandaise, Green Asparagus Bavaroise
Ingredients; 4 Portions
20 Medium size White Asparagus
2 l of Spring water
10 g of Sea salt
8 chive (strings blanched)
4 Slices of Black truffle
Method White Asparagus;
1. Wash and peel the Asparagus from under the head,
remove the ends
2. Bring the still water to the boil add the sea salt and Blanch the Asparagus for 4 Minuets, remove and refresh in cold water , Blanch the Chives for two seconds in the water remove and refresh.
Arrande the asparagus like logs on top of each other 5
pices per portion tie the asparagus with the Chives. Return to the water and cook for 2- 3 minuets remove and season and coat with the truffle dressing and serve.
Truffle Vinaigrette;
20 g diced black Truffle
100 ml of Truffle Vinegar
200 ml of Truffle Oil
200 ml of Olive Oil
50 ml of Truffle Juice
20 ml of Spring Water
1/2 Lemon Juiced
Sea salt
Fresh Milled White Pepper
Method Vinaigrette;
Place the diced truffle in a stainless bowl, whisk in the Truffle vinegar with the Olive and truffle oil, add the Lemon juice and spring water, season with the Sea salt and fresh milled pepper, taste and correct the seasoning if nessery
Truffle Hollandaise;
3 egg yolks
50 ml of Truffle reduction
300 g of Clarified Butter( Keep the Milk from the Butter)
2g Sea salt ( or a pinch)
fresh Ground Milled pepper
20 ml of Boiling water
20 g Diced black Truffle
Method Hollandaise;
1. Place the water in a pot and bring to the boil turn down the heat
2. In a stainless steel bowl add the egg yolks and truffle reduction, ( 20 ml truffle juice, 10 ml truffle Vinegar,20 ml white wine vinegar 1 diced shallot, place in a pot and reduce by half strain the reduction)
whisk over the pot with water
3. Add the Chopped Truffle and slowly add The warm clarified Butter and whisking at the same time, add a little warm water if you find that the hollandaise is getting to thick, add a little of the Milk from the Butter to stabalise the mix. Taste and Correct the seasoning.
Garnish;
10 g Leek Puree
10 g of shallot puree
20 ml of double cream
Drop of olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh milled white pepper
Method Puree; ( Green Leek Olive Oil Cream Salt Pepper)
Roughly Chop the Green leek, in a pot add the oilve oil and the leeks, sauté in a pan Mix well do not Colour add the cream cook, season Remove place in a blender puree remove cool and place into a piping bag.
Shallot Puree( same as above)
Gun;
Asparagus Cream
Unsalted Butter
Olive Oil
gas
Bavaroise; Green Asparagus
Ingredients;
300g Green Asparagus Stems
1500 Cream
2 Bunches Chopped Green asparagus
60 ml of Still water
20 ml of Olive oil
4 Asparagus Tips
Sea salt
Fresh Milled White Pepper
1 1/2 Gelatine Leaves
Gun;
Asparagus Cream
Unsalted Butter
Olive Oil
gas
Method Bavaroise;
1.Heat a pot wash peel and roughly chop the asparagus,season add a little still water when evaporated the asparagus should be cooked,
2. Remove and puree in a blender, remove and pass through a fine seive.
3.In a separate pot add the cream and reduce by 3/4 Remote,Soak the Gelatine Leaves in cold water until soft remove and squeese out the liquid and Mix with the Cream when Dissolved pass through a sive to make sure that there is no lumps and mix the cream,
Pour the reduced cream into the Asparagus Puree.
4. Cook the Remainder of the Chopped Asparagus season and add to the bavaroise Mix well, divide the asparagus
puree into equal amounts about 20g per portion cover and place in a refrigerator to set which will take approx. two hours.
5 With Some of the asparagus puree add to the bottle and add diced Unsalted butter and olive oil season Close the Bottle. Insert the Gas and Shake the Bottle for ten Minuets.
Arrange the Plate;
1.Pipe Leek Dots on to the Plate 32 dots in-between each one pipe the Shallot dots.
2.In the Centre of the Plate place a spoon of Truffle Hollandaise and Glaze under the Grill for a few seconds or until it becomes golden brown.
3.Arrange the White Asparagus in the Centre of The Plate
Spoon the Dressing On the Plate . Place the Truffle slice on the White Asparagus.
Serve;
Bavaroise Pipe the warm asparagus onto the Cold Bavaroise and serve.
Kevin Thornton
Comments