Charlotte Aux Asperges

May is our peak season for white asparagus: great quality and reasonable prices. Which is very helpful because for this relatively small Charlotte you need lots of very tasty asparagus. Our Charlotte has a 16-centimetre diameter, and it requires 18 asparagus. The Charlotte has four components: the bottom made from potatoes and seasoned with nutmeg, the filling made from an asparagus mousse with ham, the side, made from halved asparagus tips and the decoration. The combination of fried potatoes, asparagus (soft in the mousse and with a gentle crunch in the tips) and egg is delicious.

Wine Pairing

We enjoyed a glass of Pinot Blanc from the German Mosel region made by Dr. Loosen. The wine is dry and fresh with some acidity and minerality. Notes of pear, apple and citrus. It worked very well with the Charlotte. In general you’re looking for a subtle white wine, given the delicate flavors of the Charlotte.

What You Need

For the Filling
- 50 grams Cream
- 50 grams Ham
- 13 grams of Gelatine
- 18 asparagus
For the Bottom
- 1 large Potato
- Nutmeg
- Butter
- Salt
For the Decoration
- Two eggs
- Parsley
- Black Pepper

What You Do

The recipe is for a springform with a diameter of 16 cm. The bottom of the Charlotte is a Paillasson de Pomme de Terre. See our post about Alain Passard. Peel and grate the potato. Add salt and nutmeg. Bake in a heavy iron skillet with lots of butter for 15+10 minutes until golden. From time to time you may need to add extra butter. Do this by slipping small dots of butter down the sides of the pan. In parallel peel the asparagus and cut of the tips. Steam the tips for 10 minutes. Steam the eggs for 12 minutes. Allow the tips to cool. Peel the eggs and set aside. Quarter the remainder of the asparagus and cook in water for at least 20 minutes or until very well done. Blender the asparagus chunks with some of the cooking liquid until very smooth. You will need approximately 400 grams of this mixture. Use the back of a spoon to pass the asparagus mixture through a sieve. Transfer the potato to the bottom of the springform. Coat the side of the form with neutral oil. Halve the tips and add these to the form, with the cut to the outside. See picture. Follow the instructions of the gelatine. Whip the cream until thick. Finely chop the ham. Heat some of the asparagus liquid, when warm, add the gelatine. Now it’s time to combine cream, ham and asparagus mixture. Cool the mixture and add gently to the springform. Allow to cool for at least 2 hours. Just before serving make mimosa with parsley and black pepper.