Asparagus, tarragon sauce, almond crumbs
Photographs by Jonathan Lovekin
The first asparagus of the year tends to take me by surprise, and this year was no exception. Deep mossy green, their tips tight and tinged with violet, they were wrapped in paper like a bouquet of flowers. They were also laughably expensive, so I left them for others and waited a week or two.
The first I bought were too thin to pick up with our fingers, but had a fine flavour. I sliced them into short pieces and tossed them into a pilau with brown rice, spring onions and pistachios.
They make an interesting filling for a tart, too, the stems lightly cooked and roughly chopped, then suspended in a deep layer of egg custard, like the one you might make for quiche Lorraine. A handful of chopped mint and perhaps some shreds of fried pancetta wouldn’t go amiss.
This week, the asparagus season has been in full swing, the prices fair for produce that must be picked not only by hand, but with particular care. The spears must be cut or snapped – never pulled – and sliced as near to the crown as possible.
The spears must be cut or snapped – never pulled – and sliced as near the crown as possible
Those lucky enough to have a few crowns on their allotment will know to leave the last few spears in place. Picking every last stalk will weaken the crown beneath. You will be rewarded with a handful of feathery fronds beautiful enough to grace a buttonhole at a wedding.
It is almost impossible to better the classic Hollandaise butter-and-egg sauce to accompany a plate of asparagus. It isn’t as capricious as you might think if you remember to never let it get too hot. Should the sauce show any sign of curdling, add a dash of hot water and whisk like crazy (usually works). I would gild that particular lily with nothing more than a spoonful of finely chopped tarragon.
As well as the classics of which I never tire, there is always room to play a little. This year, I made a thick, mustardy dressing with tarragon and vinegar and it worked a treat, adding texture with crisp breadcrumbs and toasted almonds.
Other good things emerging right now are early strawberries, benefiting from the warmest spring in many years, and huge bunches of spinach with long, arrow-shaped leaves. The proper stuff that makes your teeth feel fuzzy, and the first new potatoes, should be here to accompany it.
I rather wish my freezer held sensible things like fish fingers, but it tends to be stacked with leftovers from recipe testing and photography. Earlier in the week, the fishcakes I thought I was defrosting turned out to be hot cross buns. I mixed together 2 eggs, 50g of sugar, a capful of vanilla extract, 75ml of milk and 250ml of cream, then poured the resulting custard over 250g of torn buns. Scattered with demerara and baked in a shallow dish for 35 minutes at 160/gas mark 3, my stash of buns made the most fragrant bread and butter pudding of the year.
Serves 2. Ready in 15 minutes.
If you have thick “jumbo” spears with white ends (and probably spent more than is strictly necessary), then peeling the cut ends of each one takes but 5 minutes and shows you care. It is not necessary with anything thinner, in fact, it would be a waste of fine asparagus.
asparagus spears 12, medium
white bread 75g
flaked almonds 15g
butter 40g
For the sauce:
tarragon leaves 8g
white wine vinegar 2 tbsp
Dijon mustard 2 tsp
olive oil 6 tbsp
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and salt it lightly.
Reduce the bread to crumbs in a food processor or with a coarse grater. Warm a shallow pan over a moderate heat, add the flaked almonds and toast until light brown.
Tip the almonds out on to a plate, then add the butter to the pan, leave it to melt, then stir in the breadcrumbs and leave until the they turn golden. Stir in the toasted almonds and set aside.
Cook the asparagus in the boiling water. The time will depend on the thickness of your spears. For spears of medium thickness, allow about 7 minutes, testing for tenderness with the point of a knife or metal skewer.
While the asparagus cooks, put the tarragon leaves in a blender. Pour in the white wine vinegar, add the Dijon mustard, then the olive oil and 1 tbsp of water, blend to a thickish dressing. Season with a little salt and pepper, give it a taste and add more vinegar if you like a sharper dressing, then set aside.
Carefully lift the spears from the boiling water. This is best done with tongs. Drain briefly on kitchen paper, then place them on a serving dish. Spoon over the tarragon sauce and scatter with the almond crumbs.
A few quick dressings for your asparagus
• Season the cooked asparagus with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of grated parmesan.
• Make a quick tomato sauce by grilling a handful of ripe tomatoes, then crushing them with a fork and seasoning with salt, pepper and a splash of red wine vinegar. Use it as a dip for the spears.
• Chop several rashers of bacon, fry them until crisp, then tip them and, most crucially, their fat, over the cooked spears.
• Roast the asparagus in a single layer with a little olive oil. Pile them on to plates and place a soft, fresh goats’ cheese on top. Let it ooze and melt over the stems.
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