Asparagus "en petit pois"


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.
42 K 3.7/5 (7 reviews)
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Last modified on: May 2nd 2021
For 4 people, you will need:

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Times for this recipe
Preparation: 35 min.
Cooking: 15 min.
All in all: 45 min.
When should you start or finish this recipe?
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Step by step recipe


Stage 1 - 20 min.
Asparagus "en petit pois"
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.

Stage 2 - 5 min.
Asparagus "en petit pois"
Drain, cool under running cold water, then drain again.

Stage 3 - 5 min.
Asparagus "en petit pois"
Cut the asparagus into small pieces the size of peas (obviously).

Stage 4
Asparagus "en petit pois"
Prepare all the asparagus like this, transferring the cut pieces onto a cloth to dry.

Stage 5 - 3 min.
Asparagus "en petit pois"
Put a large saucepan on medium heat and melt 30 g butter.

When hot, add the asparagus, salt, pepper and mix well.

Stage 6 - 4 min.
Asparagus "en petit pois"
Add 100 ml vegetable stock and leave to simmer until the stock had almost completely evaporated.

Stage 7 - 1 min.
Asparagus "en petit pois"
Add i100 ml liquid cream and 2 egg yolks. Mix well.

Stage 8 - 4 min.
Asparagus "en petit pois"
Leave on low heat to thicken gently.

Stage 9
Asparagus "en petit pois"
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.
And to drink?
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 recipe40 RDI=20 %80 RDI=8 %100 RDI=20 %1,380 RDI=70 %5,790 RDI: 70 %
Per 100 g3 RDI=1 %7 RDI=1 %9 RDI=1 %130 RDI=6 %540 RDI: 6 %
Per person9 RDI=4 %20 RDI=2 %30 RDI=4 %350 RDI=20 %1,450 RDI: 20 %
The % figures are calculated in relation to the Recommended Dietary Intake , or RDI of 2,000 k-calories (or 8,400 k-joules) per day for a woman Change to a man
Possible allergens in this recipe: Milk, Celery, egg
How much will it cost?
  • For 4 people : 6.45 €
  • Per person : 1.65 €

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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)
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