MAY is a magnificent
month for produce - perhaps because it is Mary's. During Lent, I
travelled through the Vale of Evesham, famous for asparagus. Those
spears are succulent on their own, but this Asparagus
mousse is interesting.
350g (1lb) bundle of
asparagus
3 shallots
1 garlic clove
500ml (1 pt) water
1 chicken stock cube
30g (1oz) butter
1 sachet powdered gelatine
white pepper
Snap the woody ends off
the spears, and rinse. Cut into finger-size pieces, and place in
the pan; reserve a few of the spear tips. Peel and roughly chop the
shallots and garlic, and place in the pan with the stock cube and
water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Liquidise in
a processor. Whisk in the butter along with a good shake of pepper
and taste. Sprinkle the gelatine over and whisk in.
Have a suitable dish to
hand (capacity 1 litre should do) and pop the reserved spears into
the bottom. Just cover with a thin layer of the liquid. After five
minutes, chill in the fridge until set, then add the rest of the
liquid and return to the fridge to set fully (around three hours).
Invert on to a plate.
Bringing a
Strawberry tart to the table ups the game, and
adds a dash of theatre, too. This sweet pastry - pâte
sucrée - is the perfect biscuity base with crème
pâtissière.
Pastry:
120g (4 oz) unsalted
butter, cubed
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
60g (2 oz) icing sugar
170g (6 oz) plain flour, plus pinch of
salt
Mix the butter, eggs, and
icing sugar together in a food processor, then blend in the flour
and work together. Take the mixture and dust with flour, wrap in
clingfilm, then chill for two hours. Once ready, roll out and line
a large tart tin; plug any "holes" and chill for a further
half-hour. Preheat the oven to 190˚C/Gas 5. Bake the pastry blind
for 20 minutes (using greaseproof and ceramic beans, or balls of
foil), then remove everything and bake for another 15 minutes or
so. Keep a close watch; you want golden biscuit, not dark brown.
Leave to cool.
Crème
pâtissière:
290ml (½ pt)
milk
2 egg yolks
55g (2 oz) caster sugar
20g (¾ oz) each plain flour and
cornflour
5 drops vanilla essence
In a bowl, mix the eggs with the sugar, flour, and cornflour.
Heat the milk until just below boiling, then whisk into the egg
mixture. Return to the pan and heat, stirring until thick. Pour
back into the bowl, and add the vanilla. Scrape into the pastry
case. Wash and hull about two punnets of strawberries, and arrange
them in the custard, pointing up. Melt a tablespoon or two of
redcurrant jelly to brush over the top, and serve with pouring
cream.
