Ingredients
- 500g green asparagus, woody ends snapped off
- 80g butter
- 1 medium brown onion, finely sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- salt
- ground white pepper
- 3/4 cup water or stock
- 4 chicken breasts, trimmed and skin removed
- 4 bay leaves
Method
Pre-heat oven to 200C. Cut 4 cm long spears from asparagus top and reserve. Finely chop remaining stems. Melt 40g butter in a small saucepan then add onion, 2 garlic cloves, season and cook gently until soft, about 15 minutes. Add asparagus stems and stock then simmer until asparagus is soft, about 10-15 minutes. Blend to a smooth puree with a stick or bar blender, keep warm. Place each chicken breast in the centre of a large piece of greaseproof paper. Top each with remaining butter, garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Wrap up tightly, place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to rest in a warm place for 5 minutes. Cook asparagus spears in boiling water for 4 minutes, drain. Remove chicken from paper bag and slice, immediately, on an angle. Serve with puree and spears.
