Today we surprise you with exclusive asparagus recipes to recreate. You can expect dishes from kitchen director Walter Leufen, who runs three different theme restaurants at the Althoff Seehotel Überfahrt, chef Florian Weidlich from the Oliveto restaurant in Bonn and Holger Lutz from the Taverna & Trattoria Palio at the Althoff Hotel Fürstenhof Celle.
We also asked Hannah Schmiderer, sommelière at Restaurant Vendôme, what she looks for in a good asparagus wine and compiled her tips for the ideal wine accompaniment for your dinner at home.
Go straight to the recipes:
VEAL FILLET WITH FREGOLA SARDA & SPRING ASPARAGUS
To the wine recommendations:
As the kitchen director of the Althoff Seehotel Überfahrt at Lake Tegernsee, the experienced and trained chef Walter Leufen uses all the experience he has gained around the globe. With his cosmopolitan manner and incredible expertise, the native Rhinelander easily manages to implement three different styles of cuisine in one house with passion and always new ideas. His enthusiasm knows no bounds when it comes to creating first-class dishes for the guests of the Überfahrt. It is always important to him to use the highest quality products from the region, which he combines in their unadulterated form to create down-to-earth culinary delights.
With his recipe for marinated asparagus, he presents a recipe for home that guarantees delicious moments.
Basic vinaigrette
Insert
Cut the ends off the peeled asparagus (approx. 3 cm) and cook the asparagus spears in boiling and well-salted water for approx. 12 minutes. Then briefly rinse under cold water and place the asparagus spears evenly in a shallow dish or cocotte. Drain off any excess asparagus water that has accumulated.
For the vinaigrette, first whisk the mustard, vinegar and stock in a bowl until smooth. Now add the oil while stirring to make a homogeneous liquid (this is also known as "assembling the oil").
Now season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.
For the dressing, all the ingredients must be cut into the smallest possible cubes, rings, sticks, etc.. These are then mixed well with the basic vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon.
Now spread the marinade evenly over the asparagus. Cover the marinated asparagus and leave to marinate for at least 3 hours and no longer than 1 day.
With Fregola Sarda & Spring Asparagus
"Back to the roots" is the guiding principle of our chef Florian Weidlich and his team. Thus, authentic Italian cuisine forms the basis of our creations, which use only a few selected ingredients. An equally refreshing main course awaits you from the Oliveto restaurant, which is located in the AMERON Bonn Hotel Königshof. A taste experience that leaves room for a delicious dessert.
For 4 persons
Carefully sear the veal fillet on all sides. Then place in a preheated oven at 160°C on a rack for 8 minutes. Then leave to rest in a warm place.
Cook the fregola sarda in boiling salted water until al dente, then shake off, add a drop of olive oil and mix in. Cut the dried tomatoes and the red onion into fine strips. Peel the asparagus and make a stock from the peelings, 2 tbsp butter, salt, sugar and water.
Cook the asparagus in the stock until firm to the bite, then marinate with sea salt, ground pepper and olive oil.
Cut the toast slices into small cubes and fry them in butter until crispy. Cut the boiled eggs into small cubes.
Heat some olive oil in a pan and lightly fry the red onion strips and tomato strips. Add the fregola sarda, 1-2 ladles of asparagus stock and reduce briefly. Then finish with cold butter and Parmesan, season with salt and pepper.
Melt the butter in a pan and fry the veal fillet briefly until it is lightly brown on the outside.
Now place the asparagus on the plate, spread the eggs, ricotta and wild herb salad on top and drizzle a little olive oil over it, sprinkle the croutons on top at the end.
Arrange the fregola sarda and cut the veal fillet and place it on top.
With this exclusive asparagus dessert by chef Holger Lutz from the Taverna & Trattoria Palio in the Althoff Hotel Fürstenhof Celle, you will definitely achieve a surprise of a special kind.
Panna Cotta
Serrano ham chips
Shrimp tartare
Asparagus Panna Cotta
Briefly bring the cream to the boil with a teaspoon of salt and the chopped asparagus (alternatively the asparagus peel or asparagus sections) and leave to steep in the cream for approx. 30 min. Remove the pan from the heat. Lightly squeeze out the soaked gelatine, add to the pot with the still hot (no longer boiling) liquid. Stir briefly until the gelatine has dissolved. Place a deep plate at the ready.
Pour in the liquid panna cotta and leave to cool for about 10-15 minutes. Then refrigerate the panna cotta for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight.
Serrano ham chips
For the Serrano ham chips, place the ham strips next to each other on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Bake the ham chips in a preheated oven at 110°C convection oven/130°C top/bottom heat for 30-40 minutes until crispy.
Shrimp tartare
Wash the prawns, dab dry and then chop coarsely. Season with lime oil, calamansi vinegar, salt, pepper and chopped coriander.
To serve, stamp the prawn tartare onto the panna cotta with a metal ring and garnish with the serano ham and wild herbs, if desired.
"Asparagus is versatile in early summer cuisine: crisp green asparagus in tart salads, the white classic with buttery sauce and ham, briefly grilled or in quiche - different wines can also harmonise for so many faces of the spring vegetable. In general, asparagus complements very well with white wines with a lively acid structure, only subtle fruit and slightly green, herbaceous aromas: Silvaner, Welschriesling, Trebbiano or, together with the hollandaise, a more powerful Pinot Blanc. Many combinations and a lot of pleasure! I recommend the 2021 Weißburgunder Erste Lage Andreasberg from Weingut Schloss Ortenberg."
Hannah Schmiderer, Sommelière
"The choice of wine to accompany asparagus can be a bit of a challenge. With green asparagus, a fresh Chablis softens the green-grassy notes of the asparagus. The earthy flavours of white asparagus, on the other hand, are particularly suited to German Pinot Blancs and Pinot Gris. As an all-rounder in this asparagus season, I recommend the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc et Gris from Schloss Ortenberg. For the classic Hollondaise, I recommend a mature Hunter Valley Semillon. The intense ripe flavours are a new experience for any connoisseur."
Ryan Duffy, Sommelier
