Asparagus panna cotta with cheese, ham and crackers

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 500 g asparagus
• 300 ml cream
• 1 vanilla pod(s)
• Salt
• 3 sheets of gelatin
• 100 g Parmesan, grated
• 50 g ham, raw
• Pepper, black from the mill
• Sugar
• 1 lime(s)

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 20 minutes

delicious starter, can be prepared well, as part of asparagus trilogy or for finger food buffet

Peel the asparagus, trim the ends, and thinly slice the stalks. Trim the asparagus tips and set aside. Bring the cream to a boil, split the vanilla pod, and add it with plenty of salt and the asparagus slices. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod and puree the mixture. Soak the gelatin in cold water, squeeze it out well, and add it to the hot asparagus cream, straining it through a sieve if necessary. Pour the asparagus mixture into jars and refrigerate. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). For the crackers, chop the ham (really finely!), mix with the Parmesan cheese, and season with plenty of pepper. Using a round cutter about 6 cm in diameter, spread a spoonful of the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper and flatten. Remove the cutter. Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake the crackers at 220°C (425°F) for about 6 minutes. Let cool on the tray. Cook the asparagus tips over steam. Flavor the water beforehand with salt, sugar, and a little grated lime zest. Halve the asparagus tips and garnish the panna cotta with them. Add the crackers as well. The panna cotta can be prepared in advance. The crackers can also be prepared, but they must be stored in a tin to prevent them from becoming soft.