Asparagus - Bunch - Certified Organic

Fresh asparagus, sold by the bunch. When it turns up, I know spring has properly arrived.

Up here in the Northern Rivers, asparagus season is short, so it's worth making the most of every bunch.

It tells you exactly how it wants to be cooked: quick and simple. A few minutes in a hot pan with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a bit of sea salt is really all it needs. Look for firm, bright green stalks with tight tips.

In the kitchen

• Pan-fried or grilled with lemon and sea salt
• Shaved raw into ribbons for a salad
• Served with a soft boiled egg for dipping
• Tossed through pasta with peas and parmesan

How to prepare

Hold each spear at both ends and bend it until it snaps. It breaks naturally where the woody part ends. Rinse the tips well.

Spring recipe: Asparagus with soft eggs and lemon butter

Pan-fry or grill the asparagus with olive oil until just tender and bright green. Serve with soft-boiled eggs, a little melted butter with lemon zest, shaved parmesan and sea salt. Dip the spears straight into the yolks.

How to store

Store it upright in a glass of water in the fridge, just like flowers, and it will keep noticeably longer.

Sold by the bunch.