How to Make Asparagus Rolls — The Victorian Way

Buy your copy of our ’Victorian Way’ cookery book: Mrs Crocombe is back! She’s been busy preparing an unusual recipe using one of her favourite vegetables: asparagus. Asparagus grows naturally between April and June, but at Audley End House, they like to extend the season and enjoy this delicate vegetable all year round. English Heritage is a charity that cares for over 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites. Find out how you can support our work here: Visit Audley End House and Gardens for yourself: INGREDIENTS For the rolls... Water Milk 250g (9oz) Flour 7g () Yeast 1tbsp Lard A generous pinch of salt For the filling... 50-60 asparagus spears, preferably slender 300ml (½ pint) whole milk 2 egg yolks A pinch of nutmeg Cayenne pepper Freshly ground black pepper Grated parmesan cheese 2 tsp corn flour (optional) to stabilise METHOD Make 12 small rolls in muffin tins using a mixture of half water, half milk. Set aside to cool. Trim your asparagus, removing the tough woody bottom ends. Tie the stems together in bunches and boil in water for 2-3 minutes, until cooked but still stiff. Let the stems cool, then carefully cut to length to fit in your buns with 2-3cm protruding. Combine the filling ingredients (except the cheese) to make your custard, whisk well. Add the cornflour for stability. Heat the custard until just boiling and allow to thicken, then stir in the cheese. Neatly cut the tops off your buns, scoop out the crumb and fill with your custard filling. Arrange the asparagus tops in the custard. Serve tepid, chilled, or brush with a little butter before reheating in the oven to serve. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: FIND A PLACE TO VISIT: LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: Video Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:08 For this recipe, you will need... 01:33 Making the custard 02:32 Seasoning the custard 04:02 Preparing the asparagus 06:23 Boiling the asparagus 07:13 Preparing the bread rolls 08:13 Filling the rolls 09:07 Finishing touches