White asparagus with stuffed morels & a magnolia beurre blanc

We’re going to make the perfect spring dish! We’re going to stuff some beautiful morels and serve those with white asparagus, an egg yolk cream, a crispy morel cilinder and a delicious magnolia flower beurre blanc.

The egg yolk cream

10	eggs
3 grams	salt
10 turns	black pepper
20 grams	olive oil

Start by freezing the eggs for at least 36 hours. This will thicken the yolks and not the whites. After the 36 hours let the eggs defrost for at least 1 hour. Then separate the yolks from the whites and transfer all the yolks in a bowl. Now season them with the salt, the black pepper and the olive oil. Then mix it with a whisk and beat till it’s a smooth cream. After that transfer it into a piping bag that’s fitted with a round nozzle and keep it in your fridge for later.

The white asparagus

750 grams	white asparagus
1 liter	water
6 grams	salt
20 grams	butter

First we’re going to peel them. I always peel them on a container to insure they stay more horizontal and that you don’t need to put too much pressure on them. Otherwise they might break. Peel them 1.5 times, so when you peel make sure it overlaps a bit so that you remove the thick and hard peel. Once they are peeled and nice and round cut off the ends. These are also a bit harder. Now transfer the peels and trimmings into a big pan and put the peeled asparagus on top. Then submerge them completely with the water and also add the salt and the butter for seasoning. After that take a kitchen towel and wash it well under running cold water to remove any laundry detergent. Cover the pan with the towel and bring it to a boil on a medium heat. Then let it boil for 1 minute and after that turn off the heat and let the asparagus cool down completely in the cooking liquid. This is a super easy and good way to prepare the asparagus. Now take the asparagus out of the liquid and portion them. Cut the tops off and keep those for later.

	The remaining asparagus
	Chives
1/6	lime
8 turns	black pepper
10 grams	olive oil
2 grams	salt

Then cut the remaining asparagus in long pieces and cut those in small cubes. Now transfer those in a bowl. Then take some chives and cut them really thin. Add them to the asparagus and season it with the zest from a sixth of a lime, the black pepper, the olive oil and the salt. Now gently mix this and then keep it in your fridge for later. The tops you can just portion in six and them keep them in your fridge as well.

The magnolia beurre blanc

700 grams	white wine
200 grams	white wine vinegar
18	black pepper grains
26	coriander seeds
3 sprigs	tarragon
4	shallots
20	magnolia flowers

First the gastrique. Pour the white wine into a big pan and also add the white wine vinegar, the black pepper grains, the coriander seeds and the tarragon. Then cut the shallots in half and clean them. Now cut them. Add them to the pan and then reduce it for 80%. Meanwhile remove the stem from the magnolia flowers. These have a delicious fresh and aromatic flavor. Once the liquid has reduced enough turn off the heat and add the flowers. Mix it well and then transfer everything into a bowl. Now cover this well with some foil and let it cool down in your fridge. I always leave it overnight. Once it has cooled down pass it through a fine sieve and use a ladle to make it a bit easier.

100 grams	magnolia gastrique
20 grams	cream
5 grams	salt
200 grams	cold cubes of butter

Pour the magnolia gastrique into a saucepan and also add the cream and the salt. Bring this to a boil. Once it’s boiling turn down the heat and slowly while stirring add the cold cubes of butter. Normally there’s no cream in a beurre blanc, but I add it to stabilize the sauce making it more foolproof when you need to reheat it.

The stuffed morilles

100 grams	morilles
1 liter	lukewarm water
10 grams	salt
1 liter	mushroom broth

First mix the lukewarm water with the salt and use it to wash the morilles. Make sure to wash them really well and repeat it at least 3 times to be sure that all the dirt and bugs are gone. Then pour the mushroom broth into a saucepan and bring this to a boil. Now add the morels and boil them for a minute. Once boiled take them out of the broth and spread them on a metal tray. Let them cool down in your fridge. Meanwhile we can make the farce.

200 grams	chicken fillet
2	egg yolk
5 grams	salt
60 grams	butter
180 grams	cream
40 grams	sea aster

Transfer the chicken fillet into a blender and also add the egg yolks, the salt and the butter. Blend this till smooth. Beware that it doesn’t heat up too much. Once you feel it’s not cold anymore and it’s smooth add the cream and then directly stop blending to prevent it from splitting. Then transfer it into a bowl. Now season some water with salt and bring this to a boil. Then blanch the sea aster for 30 seconds. Now cool it down in cold water and then directly take it out of the water to prevent it from chancing color. Then chop them and add it to the farce. Mix it and then transfer it into a piping bag. Now use the farce to fill the morels and try to fill it all the way. Then bake them in an oven at 150 degrees Celsius for 11 minutes. Once they’re cooked take them out of the oven and use a sharp knife to cut them in half. Now keep them in your fridge for later.

The cylinder

First portion a sheet of filo pastry or spring roll dough into the desired size. Mine are between the 2 and 3 centimeters. Then transfer some butter in a pan and melt it on a low heat. Now pour it on the portioned dough and make sure everything is covered. Then spray some baking spray on a metal pipe and cover it with parchment paper. Now take the portioned dough strips and gently fold them on the pipe. Then dust a thin layer of morel or mushroom powder on a tray and roll the pipe on that powder. Now cover this with another layer of parchment paper and then bake them at 160 degrees Celsius for around 30 minutes till golden brown. Then when still hot remove them from the pipe and keep them dry and covered for later. Be careful because the pipe is still very hot.

How to finish the dish

First heat up the morels flat side down at 130 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes. Then when hot glaze them with the hot beurre blanc. Now place a tablespoon of the asparagus into a round cutter and press it all the way down. Put the cylinder on the plate as well and fill the bottom with the egg yolk cream. Place the asparagus tops on top and place the glazed morels in between. After that decorate it with sea aster, some more egg yolk cream, trout eggs, barba di frate and wild garlic flowers. Then finally serve it with the hot magnolia beurre blanc.