Spring has well and truly arrived. Four seasons in one day make a regular appearance and the garden is thriving. Everything in the garden is very green and there are plenty of things sprouting at both ends of the vegetable growing spectrum. The new seeds are slowly uncurling, whilst last year’s spinach and kale are shooting for the sky, their job done. It’s a busy time.
We have a new asparagus bed in the tunnel. It’s the second year that we have watched the cycle of these little green beauties popping up. We can’t pick them yet, as it takes three years to establish a bed, so we have to watch them continue to grow into enormous ferns. The ferns die back in the winter, then it all starts again.
These labour intensive vegetables – they hate weeds – are a symbol of spring. In Greek mythology they are associated with Aphrodite, the goddess of love and fertility; so sure that they were potent, the spears were consumed when young and tender, and then the remainder dried for the winter season.
Love potions aside, they have a lot of good things going for them. Full of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and soluble fibre, this vegetable contains more glutathione than any other vegetable, which makes it a powerful liver cleanser, so ideal for an internal spring clean. The list of attributes is extensive – it’s proven to improve cognitive functioning, mood and mental energy, so it looks like the Greeks were onto something.
The season for local asparagus is short and we’re always excited to eat the first few bunches but then, like every other vegetable that appears in abundance, it’s a case of ‘what’s next?’. As delicious as asparagus is, we can’t just consume it under a duvet of hollandaise each time. I like to pair the asparagus with legumes, sometimes lentils, sometimes beans, but always with some kind of salsa to dress everything.
This month’s recipe is a simple combination of lemony butterbeans with roasted asparagus, dressed with a rocket pesto. We have plenty of rocket growing at the moment and it makes a delicious pesto but if you can’t source rocket, basil pesto will make a good substitute.
I have discovered big jars of butterbeans, which are of excellent quality, the liquid the beans are stored in is perfect to add to the sauce, but if you can’t find a jar – or want to invest in a jar, as they are expensive – use a couple of cans. If you use canned beans, rinse them, then add a little vegetable stock.
Roasted Asparagus with Lemony Butterbeans and Rocket
Ingredients:
• 1 large jar butterbeans or
2 cans
• The juice from the jar or 150mls vegetable stock
• 1 large bunch asparagus
• 100mls olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1-2 lemons
• 100mls crème fraiche
• A handful fresh rocket
• 50g pine nuts
• 30g parmesan cheese
Method:
Pre heat the oven 220c.
Peel and chop three cloves of garlic. Heat a pan, add a little olive oil and the garlic, then cook gently for a minute to flavour the oil. Add the butterbeans. If you are using a jar just tip the lot in, but if you are using cans rinse the beans, then add together with a little vegetable stock. Heat the beans gently then grate a little lemon zest over, stir in the juice of half a lemon and season with salt and black pepper. Add the crème fraiche, then simmer until the sauce has reduced. Taste and add a little more lemon juice if you think it needs brightening up. Put aside until everything else is ready.
Wash the asparagus spears, then trim the woody end. You could snap them but I usually lightly run a sharp knife over the stem, working from the stalk up, and the knife cuts like butter as soon as you pass the woody bit. Line a baking tray that’s big enough to accommodate the asparagus in one layer with parchment paper. Dry the spears, then put them in the tray and drizzle over olive oil. Sprinkle over a little salt and cracked pepper, then roll them about so they are all lightly dressed. Put the asparagus into the oven and set the timer for seven minutes, toss, then cook for a further five minutes.
To make the rocket pesto, gently toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until they begin to take some colour, then remove from the pan – otherwise they’ll keep cooking. Put them aside.
Peel and chop a fatty clove of garlic, then put it into a blender together with the rocket, juice of half a lemon, 75mls olive oil, grated parmesan and half of the pine nuts. Buzz together to make smooth sauce then season with some salt.
To assemble the dish put the beans on a serving platter or plates, pop the asparagus spears on top and drizzle over some pesto. Scatter over the remaining pine nuts and it’s ready to go. Enjoy!
Karen
Lettercollum Kitchen Project,
Timoleague
info@lettercollum.ie
www.lettercollum.ie
