In Season - British Asparagus

Be quick! You've not got long to enjoy this superfood delicacy. Asparagus has a teasingly short and notoriously unpredictable season which falls sometime between May and June depending on the fickle British weather. I am reliably informed by the British Asparagus Growers Association website that the 2010 season is well and truly here.

Appropriately perhaps for an aphrodisiac, the key to ensuring the best flavour is tenderness rather than length or girth. Colour is a good indicator, seek light green with closed tips and a hint of purple. British Asparagus is a hand grown crop which requires a huge investment of time and patience for a relatively low yield. Cooking it however, is almost totally the opposite case!

 - Simple: Steamed with a splash of olive oil, black pepper and parmesan

 - Hot: Fresh asparagus soup with crème fraiche and sage and parmesan bread

 - Brunch: Asparagus bundles tied with chives served with a vanilla and pomegranate mayonnaise

 - Fish: Asparagus icecream with salmon toasts - recipe here!

 - Main: Pan roast asparagus with rare roast beef, wild mushroom jus, thyme and talegio potatoes

 - Summer Buffet: Prosciutto or Parma ham involtini of chargrilled asparagus

 - Stuffed: Baby Pousin with fresh asparagus stuffing, lemon risotto, French beans and tarragon jus

 - Vegetarian: Fresh handmade asparagus ravioli with herb emulsion and micro shoots

Very Vegetarian

It’s very rare (but not unusual) for me to be asked to cater a whole event for one special diet – although once or twice a year we do find ourselves creating a completely vegetarian menu. More often than not, the host presents us with a range of meat / no meat related menu requirements that need to be met anything from religious considerations and ethical sympathies, to fad trends and phobias (yes food phobias) and everything in-between.

Whilst I am a definite carnivore, my sympathies truly go out to those poor guests destined to spend most of the wedding season eating quiche and roulade because of uncreative, uncaring catering. I always design any special diets around a main menu and find something that looks similar. This level of attention to detail always helps a host to show that they care. For example...

Canapes

(these example cover all bases and are delicious for all guests)

 Tea marbled quail’s eggs with smoked paprika and herb mayonnaise

Shots of warm white bean cappuccino with lemon oil

Brick pastry parcels of artichoke hearts, parsley and lemon

Broad bean falafel with pecorino and a fresh mint dipping sauce

Bamboo pots deep fried feta with prism skewers

Vegetarian Buffet

(examples from our first 100% vegetarian wedding of 2010)

Chickpea, spinach and coriander Tagine with apricots and dates

Warm cous cous with quinoa, orange and pistachios

Cauliflower and cumin fritters with lime yoghurt

Roasted sweet red peppers filled with Kosheri rice

Roasted winter vegetables with sage and roasted garlic

Jerusalem artichoke and Swiss chard gallette

Vegan Three Course

(remember vegan often means no dairy or fish as well as no meat)

Saturn bowl of fresh asparagus, artichoke hearts, blistered
cherry tomatoes and avocado, with chervil and mustard dressing

Roasted vegetable stack with marinated aubergine, char grilled zucchini,
piquello peppers on grilled radicchio with pine nuts and salsa verde

Muscat marinated fruits with a fresh mango and vanilla bean sorbet