White Asparagus with Meatballs and Vegetable Sticks

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg white asparagus
• Salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Carrot
• 50 g sugar snap peas
• 1 Spring onion
• 50 ml dry white wine
• pepper (ground)
• 20 g butter
• 1 stale roll
• 2 shallots
• 1 tbsp butter
• 500 g pork mince
• 2 tbsp finely chopped mint
• 1 egg
• Salt
• pepper (ground)
• 2 tbsp Rapeseed oil

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash, peel, trim the ends of the asparagus and cook in salted water with sugar and 1–2 tbsp lemon juice for about 20 minutes.

2. 2.

   Meanwhile peel the carrot and dice finely. Wash the snap peas and cut into thin strips. Clean the spring onion and slice into fine rings.

3. 3.

   Preheat the oven to 80 °C fan. Drain the asparagus, reserving the cooking liquid. Place the asparagus on a tray and keep warm in the oven.

4. 4.

   For the meatballs soak the roll in a little water. Peel and finely chop the shallots; sauté them in hot butter until translucent. Mix the pork mince with the squeezed roll, shallots, mint, egg, salt and pepper into a dough; shape small balls about 3 cm in diameter with damp hands. Fry in hot oil for about 8 minutes until golden brown on all sides. Place on the asparagus in the oven to keep warm.

5. 5.

   Measure about 600 ml of the asparagus cooking liquid, bring it back to a boil with the white wine. Cook the vegetables for about 1 minute, then remove from heat and season with white wine, salt, pepper and remaining lemon juice. Melt the butter and drizzle over the asparagus. Pour some sauce on top and serve.