Tom Aikens

Chilled Asparagus soup with Ricotta and chervil dumplings

• 16 large spears asparagus
• 500g ricotta
• 50g 00 flour
• 2 yolks
• 1egg
• 400ml chicken stock
• 1 large bunch chervil picked keep some of the pieces for garnish
• 500ml white chicken stock
• 200ml double cream
• Juice 1 lemon
• 50g butter
• 50ml olive oil

Method

1. Place a pan of water on to boil and seasoned with salt, take four of the spears and slice them very thinly on a mandolin, keep all the trimmings for the soup. Peel four more spears and cut a tiny piece of the base off, as it is tough. Firstly cook the strips in the water they will take about 30 seconds to cook then plunge them into iced water. Then cook the whole spears and these will take 2-3 minutes to cook and again put in iced water when cooked.
2. Chop the remaining asparagus finely, then heat up a pan on a medium heat and add the butter. Place the chicken stock and cream together to boil.
3. When it has just melted add the asparagus and seasoning and a tsp sugar cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes then add the stock bring to the boil and then add 1/2 the chervil.
4. Puree in the blender and then pass through a fine sieve into a bowl over iced water to cool it down quickly. Add 1/2 the chervil into the soup.
5. Mix the ricotta with the flour and the eggs add the chervil and season. Bring a pan of seasoned water to the simmer then drop a spoonful of the ricotta mix in to the water, then when they rise they are ready place these into iced water to cool.
6. Leave for a minute and then remove, as they will fall apart if they are left to long in the water.
7. Place the strips of asparagus in a bowl with the oil a little salt and some lemon juice.
8. Pour the soup into the bowls then the asparagus and drop the ricotta dumplings in.