This section provides a list of tasty Asparagus recipes that we, our family and our friends have tried and enjoyed. There are also links to recipes on other websites to help you to get the greatest taste variety from your Aparagus when in season. It is aimed at helping you to find some new and exciting ways to eat your Asparagus, because this tasty veg has a short season, there is nothing you can do to even out the crop growth so it all arrives at once.

Asparagus is a veg we tend to eat only when they are in season. This is not because we don't like them much, in fact we love them, it is beacause when out of season the only fresh ones you can get are grown and flown many miles and the tinned version really isn't very palletable. We really look forward to the asparagus season, when the shoots are ready to pick it is a very special time of year. What I have found is that asparagius is a forgotten veg when it comes to recipes and this might just be because it is really nice cooked without fuss however a little effort and you have something wonderful to eat and share with family and friends.

Recipes eaten and enjoyed by us, our family and friends.

 Baked Camembert with asparagus dippers

A good baked camembert is delicious and runny just like a fondue without the messy pan. Add char grilled or baked asparagus spears and some good friends, you'll have a perty!

Asparagus Soup

A light refreshing asparagus soup recipe that can be served warm or cold, I like mine hot.

 Asparagus and ham flan

Asparagus tart or asparagus flan evolved from the basic onion tart recipe, having made this version, for the first time ever, I had to fight the boys to get a slice, NOT FAIR! Whether you call it a savoury tart or a savoury flan - we call it tasty.

 Asparagus Galette

This recipe has evolved from a puff pastry experiment. You will be creating a cross between a giant vol-au-vent and a tart. Ideal for a savoury snack, light meal or picnic, it is easy to adapt to personal taste.

If you like these recipes, we have a whole section dedicated to sharing recipes with you. Our recipe of the week is linked to our Facebook page so Like Us to keep updated of anything new. If you have an asparagus based reciepe to share, send it in, we would love to hear from you.

Links to other asparagus recipes

We have research a nuber of recipes using asparagus and have them stored on our Pinterest barod " Recipes usinbg asparagus". Follow this link to Pinterest and browse through for more idea's. Alternatively follow the links to the web sites listed below.

• British Asparagus.co.uk
• Simply Recipes
• All Recipes
• Delia Online
• Delicious Magazine

Eat and enjoy!

Asparagus is one of the first crops for us each year. It has a very short cropping season of about 6 weeks and does not store well, so it is something we really look forward to and enjoy for the short time it is available to us. If your asparagus patch is a large one and it is a good cropping year, it is a prime candidate for a classic food glut as it will all come at once. There is little you can do to spread out the copping season. If it looks like you are in for a bountiful harvest the only thing to do is cut the spears younger. You will need to be inventive so you enjoy it as much in it's the last meal as you did for the first.

Asparagus has an extensive root system which spreads out from the crown. The crown sends up shoots in early spring, April and May, which can be cut and eaten until late May. After cropping is over the uncut shoots develop to a bushy fern, approximately 1m tall, which produces red berries in the autumn and supplies the nutrients the plant requires to produce a good crop the following year. The plants remain insitu and can produce 20 to 25 edible shoots per year for up to 20 years. So, if you are planning to grow your own, consider well where you plant them as once in place they will be there for a long time.

Timings for the best crop

• March to April, plant the hearts then wait 2 years for the plants to establish themselves before you start to crop.
• Late April you will start to see new shoots appear
• Late April to end May harvest your crop
• End May leave any new shoots to develop into lush ferns - these may need support as they grow taller
• September to October cut the ferns when they start to turn yellow.

Time to love asparagus!

Before you rush out and buy asparagus plants you need to consider carefully where you plan to locate them. An asparagus patch can remain fruitful for 15 to 20 years and does not benefit from being lifted and shifted. They can be grown from seed however crowns are readily available in most garden centres and will give you a head start. The volume of plants required will depend upon a little on the variety you choose however 2 crowns per person should give a feast of asparagus in a good growing year.

When you are ready to plant the new crowns make sure you dig over the plot and remove any perennial weed roots. Dig in plenty of compost or manure. Give each crown plenty of space and plant approx 20cm below the soil surface. A new crop of plants should be left unpicked for the first 2 years in order for the plants to mature. Be patient and your plants will reward you with loads of tasty and tender shoots in year 3.

The shoots, which appear in late spring, will grow into ferns about 1 meter high and will need support as they grow taller to avoid root damage. These feathery ferns are an attractive addition to the garden through the summer but should not be cut for flower arrangements as they provide much needed nutrients to the plant for next years growth.

In early spring of each year treat the plants to a top dressing of compost, building the soil level up over the top of the plant stems. As the shoots appear and throughout the growing season keep the area weed free. In the autumn, when the ferns turn yellow, you should cut them back to 5cm above ground level. They make good compost so chop them up or throw them in whole and they will provide food for your garden next season.

Happy growing!

To harvest asparagus you will need a knife. This is because you should not pull the spears or snap them off but cut them approx 10 cms below the soil surface. You can buy special knives however a sharp garden or kitchen knife will do. The spears will start to show sometime in April and are ready to start gathering when they get to 15cm long. Leave them any longer, the fern will start to shoot out and the spear will no longer be edible. You will get a gradual increase in new shoots over the first 2 weeks so to start with you may have enough to create a starter you all fight over and by mid season have enough to make a meal of. Unlike commercially grown varieties supplied to the supermarket, home grown asparagus will often arrive in the kitchen a variety of lengths and diameters, it is not always straight either. This isn't a problem in our household as it all tastes delicious, if you want uniformity you had best not grow your own.

The rule of thumb when considering whether to stop cutting and allow the plant to rejuvenate is don’t cut beyond the end of May. In a low yield year this could be earlier. Over cutting will exhaust the plants and lead to poor cropping next season.

Storing your harvest

Asparagus does not store well and it is not advisable to leave the spears in the ground after they reach their ideal cropping height either. If you can't use it the day you crop, your asparagus will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. The flavour will start to decline over time and the spears become soft. It can be frozen successfully but will lose its firm texture.

To freeze - Wash and separate the thick and thin stems. Bundle the stems and blanch in a steamer or asparagus pan of boiling water, the thin ones for 2 mins the thick for 4 mins then freeze them in a rigid container.

Pickles and chutneys - perfectly possible but best eaten fresh Canned - perfectly possible and available in supermarkets, tends to be sloppy and the flavour is unpleasant, I'll leave the experts to it

Dried - again possible if freeze dried, I am not going there.

Happy harvesting!