Chef’s Table

Seasonal Asparagus with Potted Shrimp Butter

Try a tasty new flavour combo in this sensational seasonal recipe from Head Chef of The Fish Hotel, David Hall…

Ingredients

2kg locally grown asparagus

To prepare the asparagus

Firstly, snap the woody ends off the asparagus and discard. Then blanch the asparagus in boiling salt water.
Cook in a medium saucepan for one minute, then remove from the heat and refresh in ice water.
Next, drain your asparagus from the water and dry in a j-cloth.

Ingredients for the shrimp butter

250g butter
60g finely sliced shallots
175g brown shrimp
1g cayenne pepper
1g smoked paprika
40g langoustine or shellfish oil
1 lemon zest
10g lemon juice
5g salt

To make the potted shrimp

Firstly, cook the shallots in butter until softened.
Then stir all the other ingredients into the butter and shallot mixture.
Fry your mixture in a pan and stir every five minutes until the butter thickens.
Then pop your shrimp mix into a sterilised glass jar and garnish with herbs such as chives, dill or parsley.
Finally leave your shrimp mix to set in the fridge, preferably overnight.

To Serve

When you are ready to serve, use a griddle pan or BBQ to lightly char and reheat your asparagus.
Then in a pan melt your potted shrimp butter.
Finally, garnish with a handful of capers and soft herbs such as chervil and dill.
Enjoy!

To drink

Woodchester Valley Vineyard Bacchus

The grassy notes of asparagus would partner beautifully with a locally-grown wine, such as this award-winning Bacchus. See Wine of the Month for more.

The Fish Hotel & Retreat - back-to-nature bolt-hole with a little touch of luxury – visit
www.thefishhotel.co.uk to find out more and book!