Asparagus is, without doubt, my favourite vegetable. When asparagus is in season I am tempted to eat it every day. I usually just steam it and eat it with some nice hollandaise sauce. It is so good I generally like it cooked simply.

However, for a party I am not keen on cold asparagus. It just isn’t the same once cold so I prefer to make asparagus mousse instead. The mousse can even be made a day or two in advance and just finished off before guests arrive.

Summary

Serves: 4

Level: Very Easy

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking: 5 minutes

Total: 20 minutes + 3 hours chilling

Tips

– Swedes claim that hand-shelled prawns always taste much better, but I must admit it is so time-consuming I seldom bother.

– Sometimes I add some chopped quail’s egg to the garnish: mix two chopped quail’s eggs with a teaspoon or so of mayonnaise and place on the top of the mousse in the centre before garnishing with the prawns.

Ingredients

250 g (8 oz) green asparagus spears

2 gelatine sheets

4 tbsp whipping cream

300 g (10 oz) prawns (shrimps)

1 tbsp dill, finely chopped

salt and white pepper to taste

1 lemon, zest only

Method

1. Break the ends off the asparagus spears. Rinse them thoroughly to wash any grit off.

2. Cook for 2 minutes in lightly salted boiling water. Remove three tablespoons of the asparagus water and put in a small saucepan.

3. Drain and refresh the asparagus under cold water.

4. When the asparagus is cool, puree it in a food processor.

5. Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the water and gently squeeze out any excess water. Add it to the saucepan with the three tablespoons of asparagus water.

6. Heat the asparagus water and gelatine over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally. Once the gelatine is completely melted, remove from the heat and add a tablespoon of the asparagus puree. Stir thoroughly then add the rest of the asparagus puree.

7. Whip the cream lightly and then stir it into the puree.

8. Roughly chop half the prawns (shrimps) and add to the asparagus mousse.

9. Mix in the dill, salt and white pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

10. Transfer to individual serving dishes or glasses and chill for at least 3 hours.

11. Garnish with the remaining prawns, roughly chopped if desired, and top with some lemon zest.

Recipe courtesy of John Duxbury, editor of Swedish Food