Asparagus soup with Soumaintrain, tarragon and its ice cream
List of ingredients
1 Soumaintrain cheese of 200 g, mature
25 g of butter
20 cl of whole cream
1 kg fresh white asparagus
A few stalks of green asparagus
1.5 l of water and 3 low-fat chicken stock cubes
0.5 l of cooking water from the steamed asparagus
1 gelatin sheet
2 small potatoes
2 large tarragon branches
1 shallot
100 g lean smoked bacon bits
25 cl of milk
White pepper
Edible flowers
Sommelier’s tip
Chablis Premier Cru Vaucoupin
A Chablis Premier Cru Vaucoupin gives a warm and harmonious welcome to this asparagus velouté, and its vegetal aspect, by providing its crisp, delicate, full-bodied, and smooth texture. The creaminess of the Soumaintrain is lightened and refined by the tension and the freshness of the wine. The salinity of the dish is compensated by this liveliness.
The wine easily deals with the intensity of the tarragon with its nuanced fruit notes (peach, citrus). The smoked bacon element goes hand-in-hand with the subtle hint of flint which distinguishes this Premier Cru.
METHOD
Mince the shallot finely and fry it gently in butter.
Heat the water (regular plus the asparagus cooking water) with the stock cubes to make the bouillon; add the potatoes that have been peeled and cut into small cubes for faster cooking.
Remove the tarragon leaves from their branches and reserve. Bind the branches with strings. Simmer all the ingredients. When the potatoes are soft, add the asparagus, cut into pieces, to the bouillon.
Remove the crust from the Soumaintrain and add it to the bouillon; the rest of the cheese will serve in making the ice cream. Cook at a low simmer for 45 minutes.
Remove the tarragon branches. Blend the preparation in a mixer; add the 20 cl of whole cream and the pepper. Reserve the preparation so that it is quite cool.
For the ice cream, warm the milk and bacon bits on low heat, then filter. Dry the bacon bits in the oven, then blend them to obtain a powder.
Place the reserved Soumaintrain cut into small cubes and gently melt it in the milk. When it has completely melted and the mix is homogeneous, remove the casserole from the heat and add the gelatin sheet. Cut up a few tarragon leaves to add to this preparation and chill it in order to make the ice cream.
To serve the velouté, place a heaping tablespoon of fresh chopped tarragon in the bottom of the bowl, pour over the velouté, and scatter a few flowers on top.
At the last minute, add a small mound of ice cream, decorated with a roasted green asparagus spear, and sprinkle a bit of smoked bacon bit powder over the top.
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