Ingredients for 6 servings
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) asparagus, washed and peeled
- 1 large potato, cut into chunks
- 10 cl (0.4 cup) heavy cream
- Fleur de sel, pepper and paprika
Recipe: Asparagus Velouté
Prep
30 min
Cook
20 min
Total
50 min
Servings
6 serv.
One kilogram of asparagus cooked 20 minutes with potato, blended and strained. You get a smooth velouté in 30 minutes flat. Cream softens, paprika adds gentle heat. Chef's cooking, no fuss.
Step-by-step directions
1 Boil the asparagus and potato in salted water for 20 minutes.
2 Blend everything together and strain through a fine sieve.
3 Season with fleur de sel, pepper and paprika. Stir in the heavy cream.
4 Serve your asparagus velouté piping hot.
Chef's tip
Asparagus velouté is a spring dish, the one you cook as soon as the first spears hit the market in March or April. At that season, asparagus is thin, tender, fibreless. That's when you get the best out of it. You boil with potato for natural body, pass through a sieve for smooth texture, finish with cream. Simple, quick, effective.
It's a Sunday lunch dish, small serving before the main course, or as a complete meal with toasted bread and a poached egg. Kids like it, it's a good way to get them eating green vegetables. For wine, go for a light dry white, a Sancerre or Chablis holds up well. Skip reds, they don't work with cream and delicate vegetables.
For serving, keep it hot in bowls, add a drizzle of extra cream and fresh pepper. A few croûtons toasted in a pan does the job. You can also add salmon roe or shrimp if you want something more special. It's flexible, it's fast, and everyone likes it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I replace the cream with milk or broth?
Yes, whole milk gives a lighter result, chicken broth a subtler velouté. You lose richness but it works fine. Use 150 ml milk or broth to keep the texture right.
How long does asparagus velouté keep in the fridge?
Three days in an airtight container. You can freeze it for three months. To reheat, pour into a saucepan over medium heat, stir gently, don't boil or it breaks.
Why strain through a fine sieve after blending?
The sieve removes small fibres and particles the blender missed. Without it, you get a grainy texture instead of smooth velouté. That's the step that makes the difference between proper velouté and ordinary soup.
Wine Pairing
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