Asparagus with pine nuts, egg and herb sauce

Sam and Sam Clarke, Moro, London

This herby sauce goes very well with asparagus and is also delicious with artichokes. Either make it beforehand, or prepare it while the asparagus are cooking.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

16–20 asparagus spears
4 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
...for the pine nut, egg and herb sauce
2 hard-boiled Freedom Food labelled eggs,
peeled and roughly chopped
½ medium red onion, finely chopped
1 small bunch each of fresh dill, tarragon and
flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
½ small bunch fresh mint, roughly chopped
2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
½ clove garlic, crushed to paste with salt
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:

Combine all the ingredients for the sauce together in a bowl, and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Trim the asparagus if it has any hard stalky ends. Preheat a griddle pan or a frying pan. Toss the asparagus in the olive oil and then add to the hot griddle pan with a good bit of seasoning. Griddle for a couple of minutes on both sides until they are nicely charred. Check for seasoning, transfer to a plate, and serve with the sauce on the side and flatbread if you wish.

Preview – from the 2011 edition of the Freedom Food Celebrity Recipe Collection