Asparagus is a member of the Lily family and under ideal conditions, an asparagus spear can grow 10" in a 24-hour period! An asparagus plant is usually not harvested for the first 3 years after the crowns are planted allowing the crown to develop a strong fibrous root system. It should then go on to sprout for the next 15 years.

Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food which in high in Folic Acid and is a good source of potassium, fibre, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin. Asparagus has no fat, contains no cholesterol and is low in sodium

What do I do with them?

Asparagus is great on its own with just a bit of butter. It needs very gentle cooking, ideally steaming or boiling in 1" of water for 2 minutes. It can also be barbequed or cooked in a griddle pan.

Bundle of asparagus spears2 egg yolks2 teaspoons lemon juice100g butter 1 tablespoon watersalt & pepper

Method
Wash the asparagus spears to remove any sand from the flowers. Put an inch of water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer gently. Put a small mixing bowl on top of the saucepan. The bowl should be big enough to seal the edges of the pan, but without its base touching the boiling water. Put the egg yolks, water and half the lemon juice into the bowl (still on the pan). Whisk until the egg yolks start to thicken. Add the butter, a little at a time. Whisk well each time. The sauce will gradually continue to thicken. Then add the remaining lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the asparagus spears on individual plates and drizzle the sauce over the top or put in little dishes and dip the asparagus sears into the sauce.