Ad feature The Elms recipe

Ingredients

12 stems of asparagus blanched in salt water

12 king scallops, cleaned and trimmed

25g clarified butter

2 bunches of asparagus, peeled and blanched

One small shallot

1 clove of garlic

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

375ml double cream

Lo-salt and pepper

For the sauce

1 shallot

1 lemon

375ml white wine

375ml double cream

25g unsalted butter (keep cold in fridge)

Lo-salt and pepper

Method

Put the asparagus, garlic and shallots into a blender with the cream and blend to a purse. Slowly add the eggs one at a time and add

lo-salt and pepper to taste. Blend for a further

3-5 minutes. Pour on to oiled dariole moulds and place into a bain marie of hot water. Then place into oven at 120C for 15-20 minutes. When set, allow to cool slightly, loosen and tip out on to the serving plates.

The sauce

Heat pan and put in sliced shallot, white wine and fish stock. Allow to reduce by half and add the cream. Reduce slightly. When ready to serve, heat to boiling, remove from the heat and blend in the ice-cold butter, season with the lo-salt and froth like a cappucino with a hand-held blender.

Plating

Shallow-fry the scallops in a little clarified butter until golden and squeeze a little lemon juice over them. Keep them warm. Warm asparagus and sauce. Place the ingredients on to the plate as picture shows, using the light frothy sauce to finish the dish. Other options could be a little tomato, basil and olive oil dressing.

About The Elms

The Elms, set imposingly in the beautiful Teme valley, sits peacefully at the end of a sweeping, tree-lined drive, yet is within easy reach of the M5.

Built in 1710 by the architect Gilbert White, a pupil of Sir Christopher Wren, it became home to racehorse breeder Sir Richard Brooke in 1927. He substantially extended it, adding ornate ceilings, carved fireplaces, antique furnishings and stained glass windows from his family home, Norton Priory in Cheshire.

The award-winning cuisine produced by the hotel's brigade of chefs features many local ingredients including farmhouse cheeses, fresh fruits and honey, coupled with an extensive Old and New World Wine list.

The Elms boasts 21 individually and luxuriously decorated bedrooms, complemented by spacious public areas.