White asparagus with lemon and herb butter

The first week back at work has not been bad, I do however really enjoy my work. The worst bit of the week came today. I had stepped out at lunch time to pop to the Post Office as I'd bought my brother and his fiance an extra Christmas present which I wanted to post to them. I had to walk through Borough Market, which I do every morning and evening, however, Friday lunchtime is when it comes alive with the magical scents and smells of delicious hot foods and samples galore to be tasted. I though, was on a '2' day of my 5:2 diet, so experienced a massive 'fail'.


Whilst feeling despondent, I spotted some fabulous white asparagus for sale at one of the vegetable stalls and the only way to cheer myself up was to buy them. 'A-ha!' I thought. Tomorrow I will indulge, and indeed, that is what I did with this snowy vegetable, treated very simply with a fresh and fragrent buerre blanc to let its subtle flavour shine.


What you will need
2 bunches (500g) white asparagus
1 handful of fresh lemon thyme
40g butter
1/2 fresh lemon


Firstly, prepare the white asparagus by peeling off the outer woody layer of the asparagus spears, just 5cm below the tip down to the bottom.


Drizzle over a tea spoon of oil and toss the spears through.


Next, bring a griddle pan up to heat, before carefully placing the asparagus spears in the pan. Turn every 2-3 minutes for about 10 minutes until browned/lightly charred, smokey and cooked.

Next, gently melt 40g of butter with some salt and black pepper.

Once melted, remove from the pan and add most of the lemon thyme and the juice of 1/2 the lemon. 


To serve, pour the herb and lemon butter over the asparagus and sprinkle with a few extra thyme leaves.

I made a fabulously easy crusty soda bread to go along side it, served wonderfully fresh and warm. Gipsy Spread, of course had a steak and sweet potato wedges with his.