Aseasonal recipe from the Organic Trade Board who has collaborated with renowned chef, Tom Aikens. With the key ingredients in this recipe just coming perfectly into season.
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
Pea pancakes
250g organic peas
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of caster sugar
10g of cornflour
25g of self-raising flour
½ tsp of baking powder
2 eggs, separated
1 tsp of caster sugar
3 spring onions, finely chopped
1 pinch of chopped chervil
1 pinch of chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil, for frying
Asparagus
20 organic asparagus spears, trimmed and bases peeled
olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Herb sabayon
1 egg
2 egg yolks
50ml of vegetable stock
½ lemon
100g of clarified butter
1 pinch of chopped chervil
1 pinch of chopped chives
1 pinch of chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Poached eggs
8 organic eggs
white wine vinegar
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Equipment:
Food processor or blender
Blini pan
Method
- Start by making the pea pancake batter. Blanch the peas for 2 minutes in a pan of boiling water with a pinch of salt and pinch of caster sugar. Drain and tip the peas into a food processor or blender
- Sieve together the cornflour, self-raising flour and baking powder then add this to the food processor along with the egg yolks, teaspoon of sugar and some seasoning
- Blend everything together to make a thick green purée
- Place the egg whites in to a large mixing bowl and whisk together with a pinch of salt until light and airy. Gently fold in the pea purée, then stir through the chopped spring onions and herbs, adjusting the seasoning to taste
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3½
- You can either cook the pancakes one at a time in a single blini pan, or use several pans at once. Alternatively, the pancakes could be cooked by the spoonful in one large pan
- Lightly oil the blini pan and spoon in the batter to create a thick pancake. Cook over a medium heat for a few minutes to set the base then transfer to the oven to finish cooking for another 5 minutes
- Repeat so that you have 4 pancakes then keep warm until ready to serve
- For the sabayon, place the egg and yolks in a mixing bowl along with the
stock and zest and juice of half a lemon
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the asparagus for a few minutes or until tender (this will depend on the thickness of the stalks)
- Place the sabayon bowl over the pan (making sure that it doesn’t touch the water) and start whisking over the heat to create a light and airy mixture
- When fluffy, remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the clarified butter to create a thick sauce. Stir through the chopped herbs and season to taste
- Drain the cooked asparagus, pat dry and season with a little oil, salt and pepper
- To poach the eggs bring a large pan of fresh water to a simmer and stir in a little white wine vinegar to help the eggs set. Gently swirl the water to create a whirlpool effect and crack in the eggs (it can help to break the eggs into small cups first, then tip gently into the water)
- Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes until just set, then drain and season to taste
- To serve, place a warm pea pancake on each plate, followed by 2 poached eggs and 5 spears of asparagus. Top with a generous spoonful of the herb sabayon
Created by Tom Aikens for The Organic Trade Board’s’Organic. Naturally Different’ campaign, courtesy of www.greatbritishchefs.com