Crown of English asparagus

Ingredients

For the tarragon vinaigrette
½ lemon, juice only
120ml/4fl oz white wine vinegar
pinch caster sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
500ml/17fl oz olive oil
2 cloves garlic, cut in half
3 sprigs tarragon
For the asparagus crowns
28 asparagus spears, peeled and ends trimmed
1 leek, white and pale green part only, halved lengthways and leaves separated
175g/6oz Vulscombe goats' cheese, or other similar very soft, creamy goats' cheese
100ml/3½fl oz single cream
¼ clove garlic, crushed
salt
pinch cayenne pepper
1 small raw beetroot, peeled, rinsed and grated coarsely
150ml/5fl oz cider vinegar
40g/1½oz sugar
4 sprigs chervil, to garnish

Method

1. First make the tarragon vinaigrette. Put the lemon juice, wine vinegar, sugar and a little salt and freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Pour into a jar and add the garlic cloves and sprigs of tarragon. Put the lid on the jar and set aside to infuse. Shake well before using.
2. For the crowns, you need four stainless steel chefs' rings, each 6cm/2½in wide and 3.5cm/1½in deep. Place the rings on a baking tray lined with clingfilm.
3. Plunge the asparagus into a pan of boiling salted water and cook for 1-2 minutes or until tender, then remove to iced water to refresh. Drain.
4. In the same water, cook the leek leaves until tender, then refresh in iced water and drain.
5. In a food processor, blend the goats' cheese until smooth. Add the cream, garlic, a tiny pinch of salt and a speck of cayenne pepper. Mix for one minute or until smooth.
6. Place the cheese mixture in a piping bag and pipe a small amount into the bottom of each ring.
7. Stand the asparagus upright in the cheese, seven spears to each ring. Pipe the rest of the cheese into the rings, filling them up and to secure the asparagus. Chill in the fridge to set.
8. Place the beetroot in a saucepan, cover with the vinegar and 150ml/5fl oz of water and add the sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
9. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean pan, pressing well to extract all the juice. Discard the beetroot in the sieve. Bring the juice back to the boil and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Set the pan over iced water to cool, stirring often, until a thick, oil-like consistency is achieved.
10. Remove the asparagus moulds from the fridge and carefully spoon the beetroot on top. Return to the fridge to set.
11. To serve, lift off the rings from the asparagus moulds, using the warmth of your hands around the rings to loosen, if required. Wrap a leek leaf around each mould to look like a band. Carefully transfer the asparagus moulds to four plates. Sprinkle with the tarragon vinaigrette and garnish with chervil.