Recommendations

Green asparagus and poached egg with González Byass Vina AB 12Y Amontillado Seco

On the plate lie green asparagus that has been blanched for two to four minutes, cut into strips, with a poached egg in the middle and a vinaigrette of lemon and mustard. The amontillado sets a dry, nutty wine against it that catches the bitter side of the asparagus.

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From the shelf

The bottle

Vina AB comes from González Byass in Jerez de la Frontera and is a dry amontillado made from one hundred percent palomino fino. The wine ages for at least twelve years in American oak in the solera system and passes through the two phases the Consejo Regulador describes for this style: first biologically under the velo de flor, then oxidatively with air contact once the flor has died off. You can see this in the colour, which runs from light topaz to amber, and in the aroma of hazelnut with a yeasty undertone. The bottle is 16.5 percent alcohol and comes in 37 centilitres at our shop.

González Byass Vina AB 12Y Amontillado Seco

The combination

Why this works together

Asparagus is one of the trickiest vegetables to pair with wine, because it brings a bitter, almost green note that makes many white wines taste metallic. An amontillado has two things to set against that. The first is its own bitterness: the acetaldehyde from the years under flor, measured in this style at almost 150 milligrams per litre and thus the highest of all sherry styles, gives a sharp, yeasty note that stands beside the asparagus instead of against it. The second is the nutty, oxidative layer from twelve years in cask, which picks up the poached egg: as soon as the egg yolk runs over the asparagus there is fat and umami on the plate, and this wine can handle that. The lemon vinaigrette finally provides the acidity that holds both together. The Consejo Regulador expressly mentions asparagus and artichokes with amontillado.

At the table

The dish

  • For 4 people
  • Ready in 30 minutes
  • Type starter

What you need

  • 1 kg green asparagus
  • 4 eggs
  • 8 radishes
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 10 ml apple cider vinegar
  • 90 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • poppy seeds or sesame seeds
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • a handful of parsley

How to make it

  1. Prepare a bowl of water with ice cubes. Wash the asparagus and the radishes and snap off the woody ends of the asparagus.
  2. Blanch the asparagus for two to four minutes in boiling water, so that it stays al dente. Drain it and put it straight into the iced water.
  3. Cut off the tips and slice the stalks lengthways into two or three strips. Arrange them like a little nest on four plates.
  4. Cut the radishes into thin half-moons and spread them over the asparagus.
  5. Whisk a vinaigrette from the juice of half a lemon, the mustard, the apple cider vinegar and the olive oil.
  6. Poach the eggs for two to four minutes in gently boiling water, so the yolk is still runny.
  7. Place an egg in the middle of each plate. Season with salt and pepper, spoon the vinaigrette over it and finish with lemon zest, chopped parsley and some poppy seeds.

In the glass

Serving

Serve this amontillado at 12 to 14 degrees, the temperature the Consejo Regulador uses for oxidatively aged sherry; González Byass gives 8 to 12 degrees for this bottle, so slightly cooler is fine too. Use a white wine glass or catavinos of about 200 millilitres, filled one third. An opened amontillado keeps much longer than a fino: count on about two months with the bottle closed and stored cool. The 37 centilitre bottle is therefore more than enough for a table of four.

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