Star of the month The season for British grown asparagus is so short – make the most of it now with these new recipes

A LITTLE EFFORT CALCIUM uncooked pastry only SERVES 8 PREP 40 mins plus overnight freezing and chilling COOK 30 mins

400g/14oz Jersey Royals 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard 140g/5oz asparagus (after snapping off woody ends) 140g/5oz Gruyère, coarsely grated 200g/7oz pot soured cream 1 large egg FOR THE PASTRY 175g/6oz block of butter, frozen 300g/11oz plain four, plus extra for dusting 50g/2oz Gruyère, coarsely grated

1 The morning before you make the pie, put the butter in the freezer – frst wrap it in foil, which will help to keep it cold when you grate it later. 2 To make the pastry, put the four in a big bowl and mix in a good pinch of salt and the cheese. Using a coarse cheese grater, grate in the butter – try to hold it as little as possible so it doesn’t warm up too much – and stir it in with a knife as you go. When all the butter is in, give it a fnal stir to make sure all the strands of butter are coated with four, then quickly stir in 125ml of very cold water. Splash in a little more if it looks dry, then lightly bring the pastry together with your hands. Wrap in cling flm and chill for at least 30 mins. 3 Meanwhile, bring a big pan of water to the boil, then tip in the potatoes. Boil until just tender, then drain well, slice and allow to cool. 4 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 with a baking tray inside. On a large sheet of baking parchment dusted with a little four, roll out the pastry into a rough circle about 30cm wide, until the thickness of 2 x £1 coins. Brush the mustard over the pastry. Arrange the potatoes, asparagus and most of the Gruyère in layers in the centre of the base, leaving a border of pastry that’s roughly 5cm all the way around. Season and fold up the pastry edges to enclose the vegetables and cheese, pinching the edges to seal. Whisk together the soured cream and the egg with a little seasoning, then pour into the centre of the tart. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and slide the tart onto the preheated baking tray. Bake for 30 mins until the pastry is golden and crisp. Eat just warm or at room temperature.

Poached salmon & asparagus with wild garlic mayonnaise

A smart main course for a spring lunch – and spectacular when cooked, then served at the table.

A LITTLE EFFORT FOLATE OMEGA-3 1 OF 5 A DAY

SERVES 6 PREP 25 mins COOK 35 mins

about 450g/1lb fat asparagus spears (after snapping off woody ends) 1 skinless side of salmon 2 unwaxed lemons, 1 zested and juiced 50g/2oz butter cooked new potatoes, to serve FOR THE MAYONNAISE about 10 wild garlic leaves (optional) 3 large egg yolks 2 tsp English mustard 200ml/7f oz sunfower oil 200ml/7f oz rapeseed oil 1 tbsp white wine vinegar white pepper, to taste

1 For the mayonnaise, bring a pan of water to the boil and have a bowl of iced water ready. Plunge the garlic leaves into the boiling water for 30 secs, then lift out with a slotted spoon and drop into the iced water – this helps to keep the green colour. Leave for a few mins, then pat dry and put in a mini food processor with the egg yolks and mustard. Pulse until fnely chopped, then scrape into a big mixing bowl. Pour the oils into a jug. 2 Whisk the yolks mixture with an electric whisk. Slowly add the oil, frst a drip at a time, then in a steady, thin drizzle – the mixture should thicken and start to look like mayonnaise. If at any point it starts to look greasy, add 1 tbsp cold water and continue whisking until all the oil has been added and you have a thick mayonnaise. Add the vinegar and season with salt and white pepper. Lay cling flm directly onto the surface of the mayonnaise so a skin doesn’t form, then chill. Will keep for 3 days in the fridge. 3 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put a large sheet of baking parchment in a large roasting tin and arrange the asparagus in a line that’s long enough for the salmon to sit on. Season, put the salmon on top and scatter over the lemon zest. Thinly slice the remaining lemon and put the slices on top of the salmon with the butter. Pour over the lemon juice and season. Bring the sides of the parchment up and over the salmon and scrunch together to seal, creating a tent over the fsh. Bake in the oven for 30 mins. 4 Bring the roasting tin to the table, open the parcel, and serve with a bowl of wild garlic mayonnaise and some new potatoes on the side.

PER SERVING energy 510 kcals • fat 33g • saturates 20g • carbs 38g • sugars 3g • fibre 3g • protein 14g • salt 1.1g

Taste team comment

'I’m a big fan of asparagus, and this was a great way to use it. The potatoes and cream gave it a delicious Dauphinoise quality. I would use Dijon mustard instead of wholegrain next time, as I like a bit of a kick.' LUKE

PER SERVING energy 550 kcals • fat 43g • saturates 9g • carbs 2g • sugars 2g • fibre 2g • protein 37g • salt 0.4g

EASY FOLATE FIBRE 2 OF 5 A DAY

SERVES 6 as a starter, 4 for lunch PREP 5 mins COOK 35 mins

2 onions, sliced 25g/1oz butter 650g/1lb 7oz asparagus (after snapping off woody ends) 1 litre/13/4pints vegetable stock 350g/12oz frozen peas 8 thin slices baguette or small loaf (white or seeded) 1 tbsp hazelnut oil, plus a drizzle to serve 150g pack soft goat’s cheese 25g/1oz blanched hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped handful pea shoots

1 In a large saucepan, soften the onions in the butter. Meanwhile, trim about 5cm off the ends of 16 of your thinnest asparagus spears and set these aside. Roughly chop the remaining asparagus and stir into the onions. Cook for a few mins, then tip in the stock. Cover and boil for 10 mins, then uncover, stir in the peas and cook for 2 mins more. 2 Whizz the soup with a blender until smooth, then return to the pan. Season well and add a splash more water if it looks a little thick. 3 Meanwhile, cook the reserved asparagus tips in boiling water until just cooked, then drain and dry on kitchen paper. 4 When you’re ready to serve, warm the soup gently. Brush the baguette slices with the hazelnut oil and toast, then spread with some goat’s cheese and top with a couple of the asparagus tips, plus a sprinkling of hazelnuts. Ladle the soup into bowls, foat a toast on each with a few pea shoots and drizzle with a little more hazelnut oil. Serve extra toasts on the side.

PER SERVING (6) energy 397 kcals • fat 17g • saturates 7g • carbs 36g • sugars 9g • fibre 10g • protein 20g • salt 1.4g

Taste team comment

'The beautiful favour of the salmon was complemented perfectly by the asparagus and mayonnaise. The dish is impressive, and ideal for a dinner party. To make it cheaper, you could acheive the same results with salmon fllets.' SOPHIE