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.
46 K 3.7/5 (7 reviews)
45 min.
Easy
12 people
9 IngredientsLast modified on: May 2nd 2021
For 12 people, you will need:
- 1
2 litres 400 ml Asparagus - 2
92.88 mls butter - 3
300 ml vegetable stock - 4
300 ml liquid cream - 5
6 egg yolks - 6
6 pinches grated nutmeg - 7
chives - 8
salt - 9
pepper
Change measures:
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 2 litres 400 ml 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 92.88 mls 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 300 ml vegetable stock and leave to simmer until the stock had almost completely evaporated.
Stage 7 - 1 min.
Add i300 ml liquid cream and 6 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 | 80 RDI=30 % | 100 RDI=9 % | 120 RDI=20 % | 1,780 RDI=90 % | 7,430 RDI: 90 % |
| Per 100 g | 2 RDI=1 % | 3 RDI=0 % | 4 RDI=1 % | 70 RDI=3 % | 290 RDI: 3 % |
| Per person | 6 RDI=3 % | 8 RDI=1 % | 10 RDI=2 % | 150 RDI=7 % | 620 RDI: 7 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 12 people : 17.80 €
- Per person : 1.50 €
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: Creamy asparagus and meat timbale, How to prepare asparagus, Asparagus and spinach gratin, Filet mignon with asparagus, White asparagus salad, ... See them all 5
Vegetable stock
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Foie gras Chantilly , Curried prawn risotto, Pork Chops Champvallon style, Country vegetable soup, Fisherman's Ragout, ... See them all 19
Liquid cream
Like these other recipes: Cauliflower and chickpea purée, Crunchy blackcurrant and mascarpone cream verrine, Creamy Winter Vegetable Soup, Apricot fool, Pork escalope with mushrooms and sage cream, ... See them all 170
Butter
Like these other recipes: Walnut short bread, Buckwheat almond biscuits, Eggs Florentine, Tomato tatin, Oatmeal and chocolate shortbread, ... See them all 477
Other recipes you may also like
Chestnut cake
This delightful cake is doubly chestnutty: it contains chestnut flour, and sweet chestnut purée. August 28th 2025347 K5 1 hour 15 min.
Fruit crumble
A fruit pudding: very easy to do and delicious: just a layer of fruit with a golden crunchy topping. February 21th 2011367 K4.0 1 hour 15 min.
Toasted almond cake
A layer cake, with toasted almonds in the chocolate part. July 5th 2016250 K4.4 2 hours 2 min.
Chocolate tart
As you can see, there's very little added sugar in this recipe, so it's a very chocolatey and bitter-sweet tart. November 16th 2013302 K 15 2 hours 30 min.
Exotic fruit tart
An exotic fruit tart (bananas, kiwi and pineapple), with crisp pastry and almond cream which are cooked beforehand. It's a rather simple recipe, but the final result will impress your guests. May 27th 2020332 K5 2 hours 25 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-09-21)
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.