Asparagus Linguine
With only a few short weeks left until the end of the British asparagus season, I find myself panic buying armfuls of locally grown produce from the farmers market. I rush home to steam the bright green new spears and enjoy simply with butter or maybe fresh hollandaise. The next day I wrap the stems in salty Parma ham and pan fry to dunk in softly boiled duck eggs. I might decide to make soup or a tart with the rest, the possibilities are endless. I could eat British asparagus all day, every day, because when the season ends at Midsummer on 21st July, I am unlikely to buy it again until next year. If I do succumb to a bunch of the imported stuff, I inevitably feel slightly guilty and always overwhelmingly disappointed.
Asparagus should be as fresh as a daisy. If you bend it, there should be some resistance before it neatly snaps in your hand, leaving a short woody end to use in stocks. Like all the best ingredients, it is best served simply. This dish is a particular lunchtime favourite. A bunch of asparagus freshly picked a few miles down the road in Groombridge, fresh bronze die linguine pasta, a free range egg and a scatter of freshly grated Parmesan and chive flowers. The recipe serves one greedy asparagus lover, but the qualities can easily be increased to feed more.
Asparagus Linguine
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 5 mins
Total time: 10 mins
Serves: 1
Ingredients
150g asparagus
150g fresh or dried linguine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 free range egg
1 teaspoon of walnut oil
freshly grated Parmesan, to serve
chive flowers (optional)
Instructions
Remove the woody ends from the asparagus by bending each spear until it snaps naturally. If the spears are large, cut them in half.
Put the fresh linguine in a pan of boiling water and place the asparagus in a colander (with a lid on top) or a steamer on top of the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the asparagus is tender and the linguine is cooked. If using dried linguine following manufacturers cooking instructions and steam the asparagus separately for 3-4 minutes. As soon as it is tender, refresh the asparagus under cold water.
Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan and gently cook the egg, covered with a lid, until the white has just set but the yolk is runny.
To serve, drain the pasta and toss with with walnut oil and asparagus. Place in a bowl, with the egg on