Asparagus, Camembert, Artichoke, Caesar Dressing Recipe

Asparagus, Camembert, Artichoke, Caesar Dressing Photo: Jackie Cameron

“Try my delicious Asparagus, Camembert, Artichoke, Caesar Dressing Recipe”

— Jackie Cameron

Asparagus, Camembert, Artichoke, Caesar Dressing Recipe

Yields: 4 portions

Ingredients:

Asparagus

• 16 Asparagus Spears

• 15 ml Butter

• 5 ml Lemon Juice

• Salt and Pepper

• Pears

• 50 ml Butter

• 30 ml Brown Sugar

• 2 Pears

• 2 Artichoke hearts bottled in brine (Supplier: Woolworths Midlands Mall)

• 120 g Rocket

• 5 ml Truffle Oil (Supplier: Parklane SuperSpar in Commercial Road - Black Truffle Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

• 1 round "la Petite France" Camembert (Supplier: Parklane Superspar in Commercial Road)

Method:

1. Heat a saucepan and add water to this with a teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil. Once boiling add asparagus and cook until al dente (chef’s note: firm to the bite). Take the asparagus out of the boiling water and place into an ice water bath and refresh the asparagus (chef’s note: to prevent further cooking and maintain the bright green colour of the asparagus)

2. Heat up a pan. Melt butter until the beurre noisette stage (chef's note: when the butter is golden in colour and releasing a nutty aroma.)

3. Place blanched and refreshed asparagus into the above pan and sauté for about 1 minute. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper and set aside

Pears

1. Peel, decore and cut pears into eighths

2. Melt the butter and add pears. Cook until slightly translucent

3. Add the brown sugar and cook for a further few minutes until golden in colour and set aside

Artichokes

1. Slice the artichokes into long thin pieces and set aside

Rocket

1. Dress the rocket leaves with 2ml truffle oil and set aside

Camembert

1. Slice Camembert lengthways getting 12 slices from one Camembert round

CANDIED ALMONDS

50 g Sugar

30 g Flaked Almonds

Method:

1. Roast almonds lightly in an oven on a tray

2. Melt sugar in a pan and add warm flaked almonds

Plating:

1. Place 3 slices of camembert flat on the centre base of the plate

2. Layer up with 4 asparagus spears, then artichoke heart pieces, caramelised pears and top with leaves

3. Around the plate place caesar dressing and candied almonds

4. Turn mixture out onto a greaseproof paper trying to separate the nuts from each other

5. Brake this mixture when cooled into bite size pieces

CAESAR DRESSING

• 30ml Cream

• 80 ml Mayonnaise

• 25 ml Capers

• 4 slices of cooked Bacon

• 5 ml Lemon Juice

• 1 small clove of Garlic

Method:

1. Blend in a liquidiser the cream, mayonnaise, capers, bacon, lemon juice and garlic clove. Season accordingly and set aside

Please post your comments and any food-related questions below. I look forward to hearing from you.