On a cushion of puff pastry in Champagne!

Ingredients

• 200g frozen puff pastry
• 250g fresh White asparagus
• 250g Green asparagus 200-250g
• Prepared tails of crayfish (You can also use shrimps instead)
• 3-4 shallots a little fresh chervil 1 cup crème fraîche
• 1/4 litre Champagne
• Beef stock
• 1 egg yolk
• Butter salt and pepper

Preparation

• Peel the lower thirds of the green asparagus.
• Peel the white asparagus completely.
• Boil the asparagus in salted water with a little sugar for 5-6 minutes.
• Cool the asparagus off with cold water.
• Then chop it in pieces of approx. 4 cm.
• Roll out the puff pastry and cut into squares of 7x7cm.
• Whisk the yolk with a little water and brush it onto the squares.
• Perforate the pastry with a table fork.
• Bake it according to instructions till it is golden-brown.
• The Champagne-Sauce: Melt some butter in a frying pan.
• Saute minced shallots till they look glassy.
• Add approx. 2 tablespoons of wheat flour.
• Stir it well and let it reduce.
• Pour in beef stock and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
• Pass the stock through a sieve.
• Add the salt, pepper and champagne.
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice to taste.
• Add the pieces of asparagus and crayfish (or shrimps) into the sauce. Heat through.
• Do not allow to boil in order to keep the crayfish soft.

Serving suggestion

• Arrange in a nice soup dish with a few leaves of chervil.
• Put the puff pastry on top.
• Serve as a starter or additional course.