Egg and Asparagus Clouds
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 20 min
- Cook time: 20 min
- Serving: 4 persone
- Cost: Low
PRESENTATION
From the combination of the symbolic ingredient of Easter, the eggs, and the quintessential spring vegetable, asparagus, comes a creative and scenic appetizer, ideal for your festive menu: egg and asparagus clouds! A simple yet impressive dish that captivates with its delicacy and the balance between different textures: the softness of whipped egg whites, the creaminess of the runny yolk, and the crunchiness of pan-fried asparagus, all laid on a velvety vegetable cream scented with thyme. A refined reinterpretation of the classic "eggs and asparagus" duo, which will amaze your guests with its originality!
Besides the egg and asparagus clouds, discover these other Easter appetizers made with eggs:
- Spring Eggs
- Easter Stuffed Eggs
- Monachina Eggs
- Colored Stuffed Eggs
INGREDIENTS
- For the sautéed asparagus
- Asparagus 8.8 oz (250 g) - (to be cleaned)
- Butter 1 ½ tbsp (20 g)
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- For the asparagus cream
- Fresh liquid cream ¼ cup (50 g)
- Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1.1 oz (30 g) - (to grate)
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- For garnish
- Lemon peel to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Thyme to taste
How to prepare Egg and Asparagus Clouds
To prepare the egg and asparagus clouds, first focus on cleaning the asparagus. Remove the woody base of the asparagus 1 then slice them into rounds 2, keeping the tips whole 3.
In a pan, melt the butter in the oil 4. Add the asparagus stalks 5 and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, then add the tips 6. Sauté everything for about 7 minutes, so they remain crunchy.
Salt and pepper 7. Take half of the asparagus and transfer them to a jug, then add the cream 8 and the grated Parmesan cheese 9.
Adjust with salt 10 and pepper, then blend 11 with an immersion blender until you get a smooth and homogeneous cream 12.
Move on to the eggs: separate the egg whites from the yolks, trying to keep the yolks intact. Place the egg whites in a bowl and use mixers, then add a pinch of salt 13 and continue to whip; you should obtain a foamy and elastic consistency 14. Divide the mixture into 4 mounds and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 15.
With the back of a spoon, create indentations in the center to hold the yolks 16 and try to shape them as well. Bake in a static oven at 392°F for 6 minutes. At this point, remove from the oven and gently slide the yolks into the indentations 17, then bake again and cook for another 2-3 minutes 18.
You are ready to plate: spread the asparagus cream at the base of the plate 19, then place the egg cloud on top 20 and arrange the sautéed asparagus all around 21.
Garnish with grated lemon zest 22, some fresh thyme leaves 23, and a grind of black pepper. Your egg and asparagus clouds are ready to be served 24!