Advance preparation
Shallot confit - stew 1kg of shallots, very finely sliced down the grain (with crushed garlic, rosemary, lemon thyme, sugar and salt to taste) in 200ml olive oil for three hours at a very low temperature. Transfer to a Kilner jar and store.
Ingredient
1 asparagus spear
Salt
1 spring roll wrapper
1tbs shallot confit
Frying oil
1 organic free-range egg
Method
Cut the asparagus to about 12cm long. Pare the stem. Blanch in salted water and drain. Trim the wrapper to a rectangle roughly 12cm x 4cm. Spread the shallot confit over the pastry.
Wrap the pastry round the stem of the asparagus and fasten it with a cocktail stick. Deep-fry at 180°C till golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
Boil the egg for six minutes and trim off the top. Serve the egg (in a cup or embedded in salt) with the asparagus.
- Spread shallot confit on the trimmed spring roll wrapper
- Fasten the wrapper to the asparagus with a cocktail stick
Photo © Sam Bailey