1. Peel the asparagus; tie into a bundle; cook for 15 minutes in boiling salted water; drain well;
2. rinse and dry the tomatoes; slice two of them and quarter the third;
3. hard boil the eggs in boiling water; shell them;
4. wash and chop the herbs and the cornichons.

Making the Vinaigrette

1. Place into a bowl the salt, pepper, chopped herbs, cornichons and egg yolks which have been roughly mashed with a fork;
2. add the oil and vinegar as well as the egg whites which have been put through a food mill.

Assembly

1. Arrange the tomato slices around the border of a serving platter;
2. place the remaining tomato and the asparagus, cut into short lengths, in the centre;
3. add the vinaigrette just before serving.