White Asparagus Cassoulette with Caviar                       Starter

Ingredients

Serves 4

 

600 g                       white asparagus

1 pinch                    sugar

1 slice                      white bread

juice of ½  lemon

Salz

Champagne sauce:

100 ml                    white wine

2 tsps                      Noilly Prat

500 ml                    fish stock (see basic recipes)

250 g                       heavy cream

20 g                         butter

2 tbsp                      champagne

12                            quail eggs

4 EL                         Osietra Kaviar

8 leaves                  purslane

 

 

 

Preparation

 

Thoroughly peel the asparagus. Bring 2 liters water with lemon juice, salt, sugar and white bread to a boil in a large pot. Add asparagus to the water and boil over high heat for 8-10 minutes.

Remove asparagus from the water using a skimmer, place on a towel and drain well. Then cut into 4 cm long pieces.

To make the champagne sauce, bring white wine and Noilly Prat to a boil, top off with fish stock and reduce to 1/4 the original volume. Add heavy cream, butter and champagne. Cook an additional 10 minutes.

Strain and whisk in a mixer
Break quail eggs and poach in salted water.

To finish:

Arrange asparagus on warmed plates, place quail eggs in between and coat with champagne sauce. Garnish with caviar and purslane.