This site uses only a few technical cookies necessary for its operation. By continuing to browse, you accept their use.
To find out more...
To find out more...
Asparagus "en petit pois"
As the name suggests, this historic recipe (see below for more details) treats asparagus like peas, Napoleonic French style: first cooked the usual way, then cut small (to look like peas), cooked again in stock, and finished with a cream and egg yolk sauce.
51 K 3.7/5 (7 reviews)
45 min.
Easy
6.40 €
4 people
9 IngredientsLast modified on: May 2nd 2021
For 4 people, you will need:
- 1
800 g Asparagus - 2
30 g butter - 3
100 ml vegetable stock - 4
100 ml liquid cream - 5
2 egg yolks - 6
2 pinches grated nutmeg - 7
chives - 8
salt - 9
pepper - Total weight: 1,070 grams
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 35 min.
Cooking: 15 min.
All in all: 45 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - ⌛ 20 min.
Prepare and cook 800 g Asparagus in a large pan of salted water until barely tender, but still slightly firm. Do not overcook.
If they are too long, cut them in half.
If they are too long, cut them in half.
Stage 2 - ⌛ 5 min.
Drain, cool under running cold water, then drain again.
Stage 3 - ⌛ 5 min.
Cut the asparagus into small pieces the size of peas (obviously).
Stage 4
Prepare all the asparagus like this, transferring the cut pieces onto a cloth to dry.
Stage 5 - ⌛ 3 min.
Put a large saucepan on medium heat and melt 30 g butter.
When hot, add the asparagus, salt, pepper and mix well.
When hot, add the asparagus, salt, pepper and mix well.
Stage 6 - ⌛ 4 min.
Add 100 ml vegetable stock and leave to simmer until the stock had almost completely evaporated.
Stage 7 - ⌛ 1 min.
Add i100 ml liquid cream and 2 egg yolks. Mix well.
Stage 8 - ⌛ 4 min.
Leave on low heat to thicken gently.
Stage 9
Serve in small individual dishes.
Remarks
You can use chicken stock instead of the vegetable stock.
This recipe takes its inspiration from Jean-Claude Brisville's play "Le Souper " (The Supper), which shows a supper – possibly imagined – shared by Fouché (Napoleon's chief of police) and Talleyrand (Napoleon's crafty chief diplomat) on the eve of the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in 1815.
Talleyrand is hosting in sumptuous style, his personal cook Antonin Carème is in the kitchen, and among the dishes on the menu is "Asperges en petits pois", for which he gives Fouché the recipe, saying it comes from a certain Monsieur de Cussy (Chief Steward of the imperial household under Napoleon, then under Louis XVIII).
It's a terrific historical drama (you can watch an extract here and test your French!), which was later made into an excellent film.
This recipe takes its inspiration from Jean-Claude Brisville's play "Le Souper " (The Supper), which shows a supper – possibly imagined – shared by Fouché (Napoleon's chief of police) and Talleyrand (Napoleon's crafty chief diplomat) on the eve of the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in 1815.
Talleyrand is hosting in sumptuous style, his personal cook Antonin Carème is in the kitchen, and among the dishes on the menu is "Asperges en petits pois", for which he gives Fouché the recipe, saying it comes from a certain Monsieur de Cussy (Chief Steward of the imperial household under Napoleon, then under Louis XVIII).
It's a terrific historical drama (you can watch an extract here and test your French!), which was later made into an excellent film.
And to drink?
I suggest a nice Valençay, either white or red, whichever you prefer, to enter properly into the spirit of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, known simply as Talleyrand.
Keeping: Should be eaten immediately.
Source: Home made, based on Jean-Claude Brisville's play "Le Souper".
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 40 RDI=20 % | 80 RDI=8 % | 100 RDI=20 % | 1,380 RDI=70 % | 5,790 RDI: 70 % |
| Per 100 g | 3 RDI=1 % | 7 RDI=1 % | 9 RDI=1 % | 130 RDI=6 % | 540 RDI: 6 % |
| Per person | 9 RDI=4 % | 20 RDI=2 % | 30 RDI=4 % | 350 RDI=20 % | 1,450 RDI: 20 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 4 people : 6.45 €
- Per person : 1.65 €
Change currency:
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Asparagus
Like these other recipes: Filet mignon with asparagus, White asparagus salad, Creamy asparagus and meat timbale, Asparagus and spinach gratin, How to prepare asparagus, ... See them all 5
Vegetable stock
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Country vegetable soup, Stuffed cabbage leaves, Foie gras Chantilly , Pea risotto "Mantecare", Melt-in-the mouth meat and vegetables in a sealed casserole, ... See them all 19
Liquid cream
Like these other recipes: Breton style shellfish and vegetable soup, Chicken Brussels pie, Apple and almond gratin, Madras rice, Pasta with mustard-cream sauce, ... See them all 172
Butter
Like these other recipes: Caramelized apple and walnut cake, Mont d'or in brioche, Brioche galette, Eggs Benedict , Brussels-Bombay salad, ... See them all 486
Other recipes you may also like
Pan-baked hash brown (Hash-brown casserole)
This hash-brown recipe is an American version of the classic grated potato cake (like roesti), baked in a pan. In the USA hash browns are often served for breakfast. May 24th 2012133 K3.8 1 hour 50 min.
Pea risotto "Mantecare"
This pea risotto recipe is finished with a typical Italian 'mantecare': mascarpone and Parmesan are incorporated at the end of cooking to make the dish incomparably smooth. September 23th 2012123 K4.9 1 hour 30 min.
Poire Belle Hélène
Poire Belle Hélène is a fairly simple cold dessert. The pears are poached in a vanilla-flavoured syrup, then served on top of vanilla ice cream with hot chocolate sauce poured over. November 22th 202393 K4.7 20 min.
Lemon Confectioner's Custard
This recipe is for a confectioner's custard with a difference: it's a little less sweet than the classic confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière, or french pastry cream) and has double lemon flavour, using both zest and juice, for plenty of tangy lemon taste. It's the perfect filling for lemon tarts, of course, but also verrines, profiteroles, eclairs, etc. May 9th 2018222 K4.4 25 min.
Baked Camembert with Walnuts
Camembert can be melted in the oven, like this hot box cheese, but here it has the added delight of toasted chopped walnuts, served on a bed of hot potatoes. March 13th 201668 K3.8 60 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2026-02-01)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.