ASPARAGUS WITH DUROC HAM, MOUSSELINE SAUCE, AND POACHED EGG IN THE SHELL
This is a recipe that we make with love every year during the asparagus season. Technically not difficult, few ingredients but make sure to choose quality! You can make this dish both as a starter and as a main course.
INGREDIENTS:
- Fresh asparagus (calculate 5 asparagus per main course)
- 2 slices of thinly sliced Duroc d'Olives ham or another juicy variant
- Eggs (1+1 per person)
- Butter
- Splash of white wine
PREPARATION
Step 1: Peel the asparagus all around with a vegetable peeler. Place the asparagus flat on your cutting board. Hold the tip in one hand and the peeler in the other. Peel the asparagus from the tip to the end, turning the asparagus gently while peeling until you have gone all around. Make sure no membranes are left behind!
Step 2: Cook the peels in a pot of water for about ten minutes, then drain the peels, keeping the liquid to later cook the asparagus in (this will give them a more pronounced "earthly" asparagus flavor).
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 64 degrees Celsius and place a baking dish with water in it (make sure the water is deep enough for the eggs to be submerged later). Use a thermometer to check if the water in the baking dish has reached 64 degrees. Place the eggs in the water and let them slowly cook in the oven for 45-50 minutes. The egg white will set, and the yolk will remain runny when you break the egg later.
Step 4: Meanwhile, prepare the mousseline sauce. Melt butter on the stove, making sure to remove it from the heat in time so it doesn't get too hot and can be added to the egg yolks without them curdling. Separate the eggs, pour the yolks into a sauté pan, add a splash of white wine, a splash of water, and whisk in a figure-eight motion over low heat until you get a fluffy mixture. Occasionally remove the pan from the heat to prevent the bottom from sticking and the yolks from curdling.
When the yolks are fluffy and firm (you can draw a line in the yolk with your whisk and still see it), remove the sauté pan from the heat. Gently whisk in the melted clarified butter while stirring constantly until you have a nice, firm mousseline sauce. Do this step by step to prevent your sauce from splitting! You can later finish it into a hollandaise by adding a spoonful of grainy mustard.
Step 5: Finally, cook the asparagus al dente (about 6 minutes in the asparagus liquid).
Step 6: Now, plate your dish beautifully with the asparagus around, the egg inside, and the ham on top. Finish with the mousseline sauce and enjoy a delicious asparagus dish, in full season!
BON APPÉTIT AND HAPPY COOKING!
Thanks to:
Faim - Food & Private Dining
Kerkplein 8
2650 Edegem
+32 (0) 486 43 85 52