(Credit: Stephen Jackson)
(serves 4-6)
(Note that the pavé needs 24 hours to make, so start this the day before you want to eat.)
FOR THE ASPARAGUS:
20-24 asparagus spears, as local as you can get. British is fine, but Spilmans grow terrific asparagus right here in Yorkshire.
https://www.spilmans.co.uk/asparagus/
FOR THE EGG YOLKS:
4 fresh, free-range egg yolks
FOR THE POTATO PAVÉ:
240ml double cream
1.3kg baking potatoes (about 6 big ones)
80g unsalted butter, melted, plus a little extra for frying
A little Yorkshire rapeseed oil
1 garlic clove, minced
A small handful of chives, finely chopped
S&P
FOR THE MUSTARD CREAM:
A small jar of Colman’s English mustard
250ml double cream
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
EXTRAS:
A baking dish or loaf tin (roughly 24cm long by 9cm high)
Mandolin or grater with slicing blade
Baking parchment
METHOD:
First, prepare the potato pavé. Preheat the oven to 180°C / Gas 4. Pour the cream into a wide bowl and season with S&P. Peel the potatoes and slice them as thinly as possible with the mandolin into the bowl of cream, covering them completely to stop them browning. Brush the baking dish with a little of the melted butter. Line with a neat rectangle or square of baking parchment. Brush the parchment with more butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drain and trim the potato slices to form a solid even layer in the bottom of the pan and lay them in the direction that works best to fill the pan. Brush with a little butter and season lightly. Continue layering the potatoes, brushing and seasoning after each two layers. Top with a buttered layer of baking parchment, then wrap the tin tightly with a piece of foil. Bake the potatoes for about an hour and a half, or until they feel completely tender when pierced with a thin knife or skewer. Remove from the oven and allow to settle and cool for 15 minutes. Put a weight (I use a heavy saucepan) on top of the potatoes and cool the dish to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, still under weight.
To make the mustard cream, set the cream to simmer gently in a small pan and reduce in volume by about half. Stir in some fresh lemon zest and juice, and as much mustard as you dare to add. Keep warm until you’re ready to serve.
To confit the egg yolks, heat the oven to 65-70°C, or as low as possible.
In a small oven-proof dish, pour a little olive oil. Gently place each egg yolk in the dish, and add enough oil to just cover the yolks. Bake carefully for about 45 minutes (longer if you want a firmer yolk) and keep warm.
Gently steam the asparagus spears over a pan of boiling water (medium heat) for 2-3 mins, check when they’re first cooked through using the point of a sharp knife through the thickest part of the stem, immediately remove from the heat.
To assemble the dish, unmould the pavé by gently running a palette knife around the sides to release it from the pan, and invert it onto a chopping board, patting it well to loosen it. Remove any parchment and trim all sides of the pavé nice and neat. Heat a little oil and a knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sizzle for a few minutes. Cook the slices of pavé, basting with the juices in the pan, until browned on the first side, then turn carefully and brown the opposite side. Repeat until you have neat golden squares of potato, then top with a confit yolk, drizzle a little mustard cream around the plate, and garnish with the chopped chives.
You could also add a few slices of our traditional cure smoked trout for an extra-luxurious touch! You can buy it right here:
https://www.burnthillherbs.com/collections/all/products/cold-smoked-trout-traditional-cure-100g
