Asparagus mousse with ham & red onion salad recipe | Good Food

Asparagus mousse with ham & red onion salad

1 tbsp butter
250g asparagus
finely sliced
300ml whipping cream
200ml milk
½ garlic clove
sliced
handful baby spinach
2 ½ gelatine leaves
soaked in a little cold water
1 egg white

For the salad

2 slices of air-dried ham
such as prosciutto, diced
½ red onion
finely chopped
2 spring onions
finely sliced
2 tsp olive oil
plus extra for drizzling
squeeze lemon juice
small bunch watercress
leaves picked

Method

step 1
Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan. Once it’s foaming, add the asparagus and cook for 4-5 mins until soft but not coloured. Remove from the pan and drain well on kitchen paper. Rinse out the pan and pour in the cream, milk and garlic. Bring to the boil, simmer until reduced to 350ml – check by pouring into a measuring jug – then add the asparagus and boil for a few secs. Remove from the heat.
step 2
Blend the mixture in a liquidiser along with the spinach leaves, then sieve into a clean bowl. Add the soaked gelatine and stir until dissolved. Sieve again and allow to cool for a few mins in the fridge, but do not let it set.
step 3
Beat the egg white to soft peaks, then carefully fold into the asparagus mix and season. Divide the mousse between 4 glasses or ramekins and leave them to set in the fridge.
step 4
To make the ham salad, mix all the ingredients, apart from the watercress, in a small bowl and season. When the mousse is set, remove each glass from the fridge, place some watercress leaves on top of the mousse, spoon on the diced ham salad and drizzle with a little olive oil.