TIME TO FEAST

Giovanna Ryan on the delights of asparagus

The arrival of uk asparagus comes with a collective sigh of relief that winter is well and truly over. Air-freighted asparagus is available in supermarkets year-round, but our local crop has a season of just six weeks, which is perhaps why it’s considered such a treat.

One of the many virtues of asparagus is that it is incredibly easy to prepare. All you need do is remove the stringy, woody lower portion. Bend each stem and it will obligingly snap in the perfect place for you to enjoy its tender tip. Once prepped, there are many ways to cook it, or not – raw asparagus is excellent and should be tried at least once in the season. There’s something deliciously decadent about dipping raw spears into mustardy mayonnaise or taramasalata. Or slice on the diagonal, dress with a mustardy vinaigrette and top with toasted breadcrumbs or chopped almonds and grated Parmesan for a speedy side dish, perfect for barbecue season. Speaking of which, asparagus season conveniently coincides with warmer weather, and cooking whole spears on the barbecue is another excellent way to enjoy them. The slight char brings out their natural sweetness and the quick cooking time preserves their lovely texture. Boiling asparagus should be done with caution, as they can end up as flavourless mush if overdone. Steaming is safer and helps to retain their crunch and sweet, slightly sulphurous flavour, which pairs so well with ingredients like eggs, garlic, mushrooms and alliums.

Asparagus dipped into soft-boiled or poached eggs is a wonderful start to the day, and baked into a frittata or a creamy egg-based tart in a buttery pastry case is one of spring’s great pleasures. Morel mushrooms, if you can get hold of them, or other wild mushrooms if not, are a beautiful addition to a light asparagus risotto. And if you’re feeling particularly extravagant, truffles grated over pretty much any asparagus/egg/butter combination is highly recommended.