See Also: Crown of English asparagus(recipes)
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Crown of English asparagus (recipes)






Serves 4



Preparation time

30 mins to 1 hour



Cooking time

10 to 30 mins

















Ingredients



For the tarragon vinaigrette½ lemon, juice only120ml/4fl oz white wine vinegarpinch caster sugarsalt and freshly ground black pepper500ml/17fl oz olive oil2 cloves garlic, cut in half3 sprigs tarragonFor the asparagus crowns28 asparagus spears, peeled and ends trimmed1 leek, white and pale green part only, halved lengthways and leaves separated175g/6oz Vulscombe goats' cheese, or other similar very soft, creamy goats' cheese100ml/3½fl oz single cream¼ clove garlic, crushedsaltpinch cayenne pepper1 small raw beetroot, peeled, rinsed and grated coarsely150ml/5fl oz cider vinegar40g/1½oz sugar4 sprigs chervil, to garnish



Method



1. First make the tarragon vinaigrette. Put the lemon juice, wine vinegar, sugar and a little salt and freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Pour into a jar and add the garlic cloves and sprigs of tarragon. Put the lid on the jar and set aside to infuse. Shake well before using. 2. For the crowns, you need four stainless steel chefs' rings, each 6cm/2½in wide and 3.5cm/1½in deep. Place the rings on a baking tray lined with clingfilm. 3. Plunge the asparagus into a pan of boiling salted water and cook for 1-2 minutes or until tender, then remove to iced water to refresh. Drain. 4. In the same water, cook the leek leaves until tender, then refresh in iced water and drain.5. In a food processor, blend the goats' cheese until smooth. Add the cream, garlic, a tiny pinch of salt and a speck of cayenne pepper. Mix for one minute or until smooth.6. Place the cheese mixture in a piping bag and pipe a small amount into the bottom of each ring. 7. Stand the asparagus upright in the cheese, seven spears to each ring. Pipe the rest of the cheese into the rings, filling them up and to secure the asparagus. Chill in the fridge to set.8. Place the beetroot in a saucepan, cover with the vinegar and 150ml/5fl oz of water and add the sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.9. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean pan, pressing well to extract all the juice. Discard the beetroot in the sieve. Bring the juice back to the boil and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Set the pan over iced water to cool, stirring often, until a thick, oil-like consistency is achieved.10. Remove the asparagus moulds from the fridge and carefully spoon the beetroot on top. Return to the fridge to set.11. To serve, lift off the rings from the asparagus moulds, using the warmth of your hands around the rings to loosen, if required. Wrap a leek leaf around each mould to look like a band. Carefully transfer the asparagus moulds to four plates. Sprinkle with the tarragon vinaigrette and garnish with chervil.