Full Flavour Behaviour from Bryn Evans

Now that temperatures are starting to rise and the evenings are lighter, it’s starting to feel a little bit like spring.

“…our fields across the country are filling up with some of the most beautiful spring produce…”

That means a massive change in what we buy to shove down our necks (and a big change in what we eat, too!) Before you know it, salads will become more appealing and you’ll have a bottle of vinaigrette in your fridge for the next four months. On the plus side, all our fields across the country are filling up with some of the most beautiful spring produce – wild garlic, asparagus, spring peas, rhubarb and lots of wonderful stuff to play with.

This recipe is as simple as it gets. It’s a recipe you will see a lot of but it’s something you can do yourself and it’s easy peasy!

STEAMED WYE VALLEY ASPARAGUS WITH A CHERVIL HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
SERVES 4

• 2x bunch asparagus
• 1x 250g unsalted butter
• 3x free range egg yolks
• Pinch sea salt?Small bunch chervil
• 1x lemon

Line the asparagus up and chop the bottoms off (that’s the woody part- it tastes like nothing and hurts your mouth!) at approximately 5-6 inches (insert your own gag here). Set the asparagus aside and put a pan of water on the heat for a bain marie. Melt the butter slowly in a pan until it clarifies (this means the milky solids will separate from the butter). Add the yolks to a metal bowl and whisk over the steaming water pan for a good five minutes. The egg yolk should be thick, ribbon textured and almost gloopy. Slowly whisk in the clarified butter until you have hollandaise sauce consistency. Season the sauce and add a squeeze of lemon and some chopped chervil to taste. Pop the asparagus spears into the boiling water for about 2-3 minutes, remove and pat dry on a cloth. Season with a little salt and pepper. Even out the asparagus onto plates and spoon over the rich hollandaise sauce.

Enjoy with a glass of sparkling English wine. Perfect.

As we are heading into the warmer months, well get some more BBQ recipes on here and maybe even some photos!!

Till next time, Manchester.

Bryn Evans
Head chef at Café Bar & Grill by Michael Caines
ABode Manchester

All views expressed are those of the author.