Spears that hit the mark !

Now is the time to stock up on British asparagus, writes Xanthe Clay from the Telegraph
In the most easterly field of the most easterly farm in Britain, the breeze blows gently over the asparagus. The spears grow ramrod-straight in the bare soil, as if they've been stuck there by an obsessive greengrocer.

There are green spaghetti-skinny stalks and stubby purple thumbs only just protruding from the earth, pencil-slender spears and stems as fat as Groucho Marx's cigar. Pickers walk along the banked-up ridges with baskets, selecting the perfect specimens and deftly cutting them off with a steak knife.

The fields lead down to the Suffolk coast and the mild maritime climate is ideal for growing asparagus. It's a good year for the plant. In a poor year, cold nights can slow the growth to zero.

In warm weather, like we've been having, they can grow as much as three inches a day. "Cutting started in the last week of April," says Jonathan Mitchell, one of the farmers, "but we always stop on June 21. After that, we let the spears grow into ferns, so that the crowns [the asparagus rhizomes] can regenerate enough for a good crop next year."

Every hour or so, Alison Cooper, who runs the mail-order business, restocks the roadside stall for a steady stream of customers, some of whom have made a special trip just for the asparagus.

"We used to grow just for supermarkets," she says. "Then I saw mail-order flowers while I was on holiday in Jersey and thought: 'Wouldn't a bunch of asparagus in the post make a nice present, too?'" It was a mention in The Daily Telegraph that really got the business going.

The asparagus is packed the day it is picked and dispatched by first-class post to arrive the next day. This freshness makes it more delicious than supermarket fare. And it's far more thrilling than getting a bunch of flowers.

HOW TO CHOOSE ASPARAGUS
Like peas, sweetcorn and many other vegetables, the sugars in asparagus start to turn to starch as soon as it's picked.

Ideally it should be eaten the same day, but failing that look for the following signs of freshness:

Firm, not bendy or rubbery spears
Smooth, not ridged, stalks
Tightly packed tips, not starting to open out
No slimy patches
Cut ends that don't look wrinkled or dried out

QUICK IDEAS FOR ASPARAGUS

Turn finger-thick asparagus spears in olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt crystals. Roast at 200C/400F/gas mark 6 for 10 minutes and serve them sprinkled with grated Parmesan and black pepper.

For asparagus rolls, wrap the spears in puff pastry, seal tightly and cut into inch-long pieces. Brush with beaten egg and bake at 200C/400F/gas mark 6 for 10-15 minutes until the pastry is golden and puffed up.

If you can lay your hands on duck eggs, boil them for 6 minutes, until they are soft-cooked. Use espresso cups as egg cups and dip asparagus spears in the runny yolks.

Steam slender asparagus spears and cool them in iced water. Dry and wrap in prosciutto to serve with drinks.

For quick blender hollandaise to serve with asparagus, whizz together three egg yolks, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp white wine and a pinch of salt. With the motor running, dribble in 5oz/150g very hot melted butter. Use immediately or store for an hour or so in a vacuum flask.

For asparagus Benedict, put three rashers of crisply grilled streaky bacon on a toasted English muffin, pile on the steamed asparagus and top with hollandaise sauce.

ASPARAGUS AND GOAT'S CHEESE TARTE FINE

This super-simple tart makes a lovely first course or lunch, but do make sure that the pastry is really thin. As a variation, try thin slices of Gorgonzola or dolcelatte instead of the goat's cheese. It melts to a delectably soft, almost custardy filling. Either way, eat it with a tomato and basil salad.

Serves 4 as a starter, 2-3 for lunch

8oz/225g puff pastry
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
A bunch of asparagus, trimmed
1 tbsp olive oil
4oz/110g goat's cheese log, crumbled
Preheat the oven to 230C/450F/gas mark 8 and put a large baking sheet in to get hot.

On a sheet of non-stick baking parchment, roll out the pastry as thin as this paper. Scatter the Parmesan over one half of the pastry, then fold the other half over the top. Roll again until back to its original thinness. Aim for an oblong that will fit the asparagus in a single layer, with a half-inch border around.

Toss the asparagus in the olive oil until it is coated, then arrange it along the pastry. Scatter the goat's cheese over it.

Cover loosely with clingfilm and chill for at least half an hour (up to 8 hours). Use the baking parchment to lift the tart on to the hot baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until it is puffed up round the edges and well browned.

JERSEY ROYAL AND ASPARAGUS SOUP

Serves 3-4

There's a brief overlap in the season of Jersey Royals and asparagus, so take advantage of it with this soup. By all means use leftover asparagus trimmings from other dishes.

Since asparagus is expensive, it makes sense to use every bit, but a really good soup also needs whole spears or it tastes mean. Don't add more than a teacupful of stock, or the delicate asparagus flavour will be overwhelmed.

10oz/280g asparagus spears and trimmings
4oz/110g Jersey Royal new potatoes, scraped and diced into pea-sized cubes
2 tbsp butter
1 leek, thinly sliced
A teacupful of chicken stock
Milk (optional)
Slice the asparagus thinly, leaving the tips whole. Put the tips, a few slices of asparagus and a few of the diced potatoes to one side.

Heat the butter in a pan and cook the leek and the rest of the potatoes for five minutes, until the leek is soft but not coloured. Add the chicken stock and ¾pint/425ml of water and bring to simmering point.

Cook for 5 minutes, or until the asparagus and potatoes are soft but not overcooked. Blend them in a liquidiser (give the mixture a good minute to get really smooth) and pass through a sieve. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Simmer the reserved asparagus and potato in the minimum of water until just done. Add to the soup and reheat gently, thinning it with some of the asparagus cooking water or a little milk if necessary.

ASPARAGUS AND PARMA HAM

Serves 4 as a starter

As long as asparagus is really fresh, it is delicious eaten raw. Try it with finely sliced raw salmon or like this, with tissue-paper-thin Parma ham.

4-6 fat spears of asparagus
8 slices of Parma ham (or San Daniele, or Serrano ham)
Olive oil
Chervil or flat-leaf parsley
Cut the tips off the asparagus and halve them lengthways. Use a vegetable peeler to slice the asparagus stems into ribbons. Dribble a little olive oil over the asparagus tips and ribbons and turn them until they are glistening.

Pile the ham and asparagus on plates, top with a few chervil or ripped parsley leaves and serve.


ASPARAGUS AND CHICKEN SALAD WITH LEMON DRESSING
Serves 2-3

This is a quick lunchtime salad that's made luxurious with asparagus. Add fresh herbs - flat-leaf parsley, chives, basil, dill or chervil - if you have them to hand. Bread and some rosé wine are all you need to go with this.

1 bunch of asparagus
Half a roast chicken
1 small bunch of rocket
1 cos lettuce, leaves ripped into small pieces
For the dressing:

Grated zest of a lemon and 2tbsp juice
2tsp Dijon mustard
2tbsp olive oil
2tbsp single cream
Cut the asparagus into short lengths and steam until they are just cooked. Cool in a bowl of iced water, then drain and dry, squeezing them gently in a clean tea towel.

Pull the chicken meat from the bones and cut or tear it into bite-size pieces. Mix with the rocket leaves, lettuce and asparagus.

For the dressing, mix the lemon zest, juice and mustard with a large pinch of salt. Whisk in the oil and cream, then taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a little more oil if it is too sharp.
Trickle the dressing over the salad and serve.