Asparagus Recipes by Donna Hay

With just about a week left to go of the British Asparagus season, now is the time to be making the most of this delicious veggie superstar. Asparagus is a naturally grown crop in Britain so the time at which it makes its first appearance in the year is completely dependent on the unique vagaries of the British climate.

Here are 5 stunning asparagus recipe from Australia’s best leading food editor, Donna Hay, and not a hollandaise sauce in sight….

This is the Tarragon Roasted Asparagus – a perfectly simple and stunning recipe that would be perfect for the first course of a dinner party. If you haven’t come across Donna Hay before, she is famous for the brilliant simplicity of her food, recipes and styling. I have three of her books and numerous magazines at home: the recipes are all quick, easy, minimal ingredients and super delicious.

This is a perfect fast weeknight supper – pesto, pea and mint pasta – ready in just 15 minutes, all you need is a glass of dry white wine and a little spot in the evening sun outside.

Also in season at the moment is lamb which pairs really well with asparagus and mint. This recipe for minted leg of lamb is served on freshly steamed asparagus. It does take slightly longer than a usual Donna Hay recipe as the lamb needs about 45 minutes to be cooked medium rare – to speed things up you can always butterfly the leg which will save just over a 1/3 of the time.

A superb brunch or lunch idea is this recipe for soft poached eggs with sweet potato browns and asparagus. An absolute taste sensation since asparagus and eggs are natural partners in crime.

And last but not least, this delicious grilled asparagus with chilli and lemon recipe is the perfect accompaniment for grilled chicken or salmon (and maybe served with a side of these salt and vinegar chunky fries).

Asparagus is full of vitamins A, B and C, it’s virtually fat-free, and full of fibre and folic acid. It’s good for the heart, boosts your immune system and cancer defences, great for skin, nails and hair and is really just an all superstar veg!

Images credit: Donna Hay