Recipes Keywords: asparagus

Asparagus & Oak Smoked Yorkshire Wensleydale Quiche

Main courseServes 4

April is the peak of the asparagus season, so why not celebrate this delicious, locally grown produce with this classic recipe from the team at the Wensleydale Creamery. This rustic quiche uses their Oak Smoked Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese and is delicious eaten hot or cold. Available to buy at their newly reopened visitors centre in Hawes as well as online and at retailers throughout the region. For more information and recipe inspiration visit www.wensleydale.co.uk  

Plumpton Rocks Asparagus and Leek Risotto with Sand Hutton Rocket Leaves and Whixley Cheese

Main courseServes 6

# To prepare the asparagus, blanch in lightly salted water and refresh in iced water. The action of partially boiling the asparagus for a few minutes and then cooling it rapidly will fix the chlorophyll contained in the vegetables and keep them bright green. This is recommended for all green vegetables. # Melt the butter in a pan, add the chopped onion and garlic, cook for a few minutes (keep stirring all the time not allowing the onion and garlic to brown). # Add the washed risotto rice and stir for 2 minutes. # Add white wine and cook for 5 minutes, stirring continuously until the wine has reduced by 2 thirds. # Add the vegetable stock, ladle by ladle, and cook on a low heat. Keep stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon, adding the stock slowly. Repeat the process until the rice is almost soft. # Chop the asparagus into inch long pieces. # Add the asparagus and leeks and cook until the leeks are just cooked. # Stir in the Whixley goat's cheese. # To serve, place in a large, warmed serving bowl, sprinkle on a little Whixley cheese and position the rocket leaves over the top.

Asparagus Spears with Whitby Smoked Haddock and Eggs on a Toasted Muffin

StarterServes 4

# Place the smoked haddock in a high sided pan with 1/2 pint milk and 1/2 pint water - bring this to the simmer slowly and cook until soft. # Whilst this is cooking snap the asparagus spears at the base of the stem - this should give a satisfying snap as the base breaks off. # The bases can be used for stock or soup. # Peel the stems if they are thick, however if they are young shoots leave them as they are. # Boil in salted water until just cooked remove and drain, add the butter and salt and pepper and serve. # Lastly boil a pan of water, add a large pinch of salt and the white wine vinegar. # Whirl this around with a wooden spoon - place the cracked eggs into the pan. # The white of the egg will close in tightly to the yolk and after approx 11/2 minutes you should end up with a perfectly poached egg. # Remove from the water, when softly poached, with a slotted spoon. # Slice the muffin bread in half and toast until golden brown.

To serve

# Place the asparagus on the toasted muffin, add the cooked smoked haddock on the top and then place the soft poached egg on the top. # Serve this as a light snack or a tasty starter.

Roasted Asparagus with Hazelnut Dressing

Side dishServes 4

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas mark 5. Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and place in the oven to toast for about 10 mins. Remove from the oven and increase the temperature to 220ºC/gas mark 7, ready for the asparagus. Place the nuts in a clean tea towel, fold the towel over and rub so that the skins come away from the nuts. Next, coarsely chop or lightly blitz the nuts in a food processor and keep to one side. To make the dressing, place the nut oil, half the olive oil and the vinegar in a small bowl add salt and pepper to season. Whisk until combined and set to one side. Place the asparagus spears on a baking tray and toss with the remaining olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for about 12 mins, until they are just lightly browning and tender. If the spears are small they will take less time to cook, so keep an eye on them. Transfer the asparagus to a warm serving dish and drizzle over the dressing, then sprinkle over the hazelnuts and serve.

The 1875 Restaurant’s Daal Turka with Sauteed Yorkshire Asparagus

StarterServes 4

Carefully wash and pat dry the asparagus Pour 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil into a wide pan on medium heat. When medium hot gently place the whole washed asparagus onto the pan and lower heat Cook gently and add 1 clove of minced garlic and a small pinch of cumin seeds. Gentle sauté both sides of the asparagus until done. Do not cook too much or over heat – ensure a there is still slight crunch in the bite. *Preparing and cooking the daal (lentils)* Wash the daal well and soak for approximately half an hour Chop 3 of the garlic cloves and separate other 2 also chopped Soak the tamarind in about 100ml water and leave to stand for about half an hour Bring about 2.5 pints of water to the boil in a deep cooking pot. Add the daal, return to the boil and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Then add the cumin, onions, tomatoes, 3 garlic cloves, ginger, green chillies and the coriander then cook over medium heat for about another half an hour. Through a strainer add the tamarind and lime juice. Boil further until the daal is soft. As garnish chop the remaining 2 cloves of garlic and sauté in pan with the remaining sunflower oil and add this to daal when ready to serve, Serve immediately with hot Chapatis (Indian flatbread) or Parathas (pan-fried Indian flatbread). Place your asparagus on plate and add daal in bowl. Enjoy with some hot chapatti or parathas.

Val Berry’s Asparagus, French Bean, Chilli & Pine Nut Salad

Side dishServes 4

– Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the asparagus, until just soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into a bowl of ice cold water – Repeat this process for the French beans and then for the peas – Drain the vegetables and combine with the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Stir gently and season

Bacon, Mushroom and Rocket Risotto

Main courseServes 2

# Heat the oil in a saucepan, add onion and bacon and cook for 1-2 minutes . # Add the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes until the rice starts to look 'glassy'. # Add mushrooms and pork stock gradually and bring to the boil. # Season and simmer gently for 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed. # Add the asparagus and top with rocket leaves and grated Parmesan # Serve and enjoy immediately!

Yorkshire Asparagus with Poached Egg Ravioli

StarterServes 2

To make the raviolis first:

# Around three hours before serving sieve the flour into a bowl separate 2 of the eggs and save the whites for another use. # Mix one whole egg with the 2 egg yolks and pour this onto the flour add 1tbsp of cold water and mix into smooth stiff dough. # Kneed well by hand until fully soft and pliable (this can take 15 minutes).

Now to prepare the raviolis:

# Roll the pasta into long thin sheets in a pasta machine. Cut large disks of the sheets with a espresso cup saucer. You will need 4 large disks. # Crack the 2 eggs carefully into a small container. Now place the first disk onto the saucer and carefully pour the egg into the dip in the middle of the disk. # Place another disk carefully on top and seal around the edge by firmly pressing down (the raviolis will now keep for a couple of hours in a fridge). # Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add plenty of sea salt. Cook your asparagus until tender but not floppy (depending on the size around 4-6 minutes) take out the asparagus and pop on warm plates now carefully put the raviolis into the boiling water and time 1 minute 30 seconds. # Remove the raviolis with a slotted spoon drain well and season with salt, white pepper and olive oil and place carefully on top of your asparagus. # Shave parmesan onto the plates and a little olive oil to finish.

Plumpton Asparagus, Pea & Mint Risotto

StarterServes 4

# Peel the asparagus spears if they are thick but if they are thin just crack them where they break by bending the stalk and discard the woody base (by bending the spear it will break naturally at its most tender spot). # Blanch in boiling salted water (by plunging the asparagus into the water for a few minutes) then remove and refresh under cold water and leave to one side ready to sauté in a pan for service. # Fry the shallots and garlic in the olive oil in a tall sided pan. # Next add the washed and drained Arborio rice and using a wooden spoon stir in the pan and add the white wine gradually. # Allow the rice to absorb the wine and keep stirring. Next add a ladle of vegetable stock and keep adding ladles of the stock and stir (No one said it was easy!). # The best risottos are stirred like crazy at the start and once the rice starts to soften you hardly stir at all. # Next blend the frozen peas with some boiling salted water and the washed leaves of the fresh mint to form a soup like paste (you will not need a lot of water for this, continue to add the required amount of water until a paste is formed). # Pour into the softened rice until it is a vibrant green but still risotto like consistency. Add the parmesan cheese and correct the seasoning with salt and pepper. # Place the hot risotto in the centre of the plate and add the hot spears of asparagus on the top. # Serve with some parmesan shavings around the plate and a drizzle of good quality olive oil around the plate.