In spring, a young chef's thoughts turn to asparagus.
I am an advocate of eating seasonally, and I cannot understand why exorbitantly priced imported asparagus is available during our winter months, especially as it has such little flavour. Asparagus arrives with spring and that’s when it should be eaten. It’s as if we turn a culinary corner in the year, and I make the most of it because asparagus has such a short season.
Asparagus is as much about taste as it is about texture, so I prefer to use the plumper-stemmed asparagus rather than those with pencil-thin stems. Thickness has no bearing on tenderness because if the asparagus is fresh it will also be tender. To test for this, snap the spear in half with your fingers: if it’s fresh, it snaps easily. To keep it that way, put the spears cut-side down in a container with couple of centimetres of water and refrigerate. Before cooking, I snap off the woody ends then use a vegetable peeler to peel the bottom 3cm. It may seem extreme, but it is worth the extra effort.
This mayonnaise-based recipe is a variation on the classic pairing of asparagus served with a poached egg. With its selection of fresh herbs, the dressing is the perfect accompaniment for asparagus. Serve either as a simple entrée or as a dip on a platter so that guests can dip the emerald-green spears into it. The dressing will keep for 10 days in the fridge and may also be used with salad leaves or as a sandwich filling.
Asparagus Salad with Soft-Boiled Egg Dressing
4 egg yolks
1 tbsp grain mustard
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp tarragon, chopped
2 tbsp chives, chopped
2 tbsp chervil, chopped
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
500ml olive oil
5 eggs, soft boiled for 4 minutes, cooled
and peeled
juice of 2 lemons
1 tbsp sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
30 plump spears of asparagus, peeled
and trimmed
In a food processor combine the yolks, mustard, vinegar and herbs. Blend for 3 minutes before slowly pouring in the olive oil in a thin stream to make a rich mayonnaise. Roughly chop the soft-boiled eggs and fold through the mayonnaise. Add the juice from 1 lemon, then the sugar, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing into a jar and refrigerate. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add the asparagus. Cook for 3-4 minutes, drain and wrap in a wet tea towel until ready to serve. Place the asparagus on a serving platter, squeeze over a little lemon juice, season with sea salt and black pepper and serve with the dressing on the side.
Serves 6-8.
ASPARAGUS MAKES ONE of the most elegant soups around. I used to make mine from the woody stalks and peelings left over after preparing the stems for other dishes. I now believe, though, that to get a truly exquisite soup you need to use fresh whole spears.
I love using the Summerlee Goat Curd from the Te Mata Cheese Company, but if it’s unobtainable you can instead swirl fresh cream, sour cream or crème fraîche through the soup just before serving.
Asparagus Soup with Goat Curd
100g unsalted butter
6 shallots, peeled and chopped
1 bunch spinach, washed and trimmed
1 potato, peeled and chopped
150ml white wine
600ml chicken stock or water
450g asparagus, trimmed and peeled
300ml cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp Summerlee Goat Curd, crème
fraîche or sour cream
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Melt the butter and fry the shallots for about 5 minutes until soft but not coloured. Add the spinach, potato, wine and stock and cook for 15 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook for 5 minutes. Purée the soup in a liquidiser and then pour it through a fine sieve. Add the cream and season with salt and black pepper. Pour into bowls and add a spoonful of goat curd to each one. Sprinkle with olive oil. This soup may be served hot or cold.
WHEN THE ASPARAGUS SEASON starts, this is one of the first dishes I always serve, as it makes a simple light lunch. Sometimes I make it with variations: I like to pile the asparagus onto some crispy fried squares of polenta, top with a soft-poached egg and then a drizzle of truffle oil instead of extra virgin olive oil. A piece of grilled crusty baguette can be substituted for the polenta.
Asparagus with Prosciutto and Parmesan
30 plump asparagus spears, peeled
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
18 thin slices of prosciutto
120g parmesan cheese
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, add the asparagus and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove the hot asparagus to a large bowl with the butter and toss the asparagus around until it is well coated. Place the asparagus on a serving platter and pile the prosciutto loosely on top. Use a vegetable peeler to make thin shavings of parmesan cheese. Sprinkle these on top and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and pepper.
Serves 6.