Chargrilled Asparagus with Baby Leek Gratin & Pine Nuts
Spring
FROM MY KITCHEN
Spring is when I bring the griddle out again.
Through winter I am naturally drawn towards food cooked more slowly, with a little more oil and warmth. As the days become lighter, the way I want to cook begins to change too. I start grilling vegetables again, using the heat of the griddle to cook them simply without needing very much oil.
Asparagus is one of the foods that marks that change for me.
At the market, its arrival seems to coincide with everything else beginning to rise. There are tulips in great armfuls, leeks and young vegetables in the wooden crates, and bunches of asparagus appearing again after the winter.
For this dish I char the asparagus on the griddle and lay it over a soft gratin of baby leeks, finishing it with toasted pine nuts. The asparagus stays fresh and green, while the leeks underneath make it substantial enough for a spring lunch.
It feels like food for a season that is moving upwards again.
AN AYURVEDIC NOTE
Ayurveda asks us to notice that our food does not need to remain the same throughout the year.
After the heavier, colder months of winter, spring is traditionally a time when lighter ways of preparing food can begin to return. Grilling vegetables with less oil is one small way I notice that transition happening in my own kitchen.
This does not mean food suddenly has to become raw or sparse. The warm baby leek gratin keeps this dish cooked and comforting, while the asparagus brings the freshness of the new season.
It is another gradual change, rather than a sharp dividing line between winter and spring.
THE RECIPE
Serves 2 as a main lunch, or 4 as a side
Ingredients
1 bunch fresh asparagus
3–4 baby leeks
25–30 g pine nuts
Olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For the baby leek gratin sauce
120 g plant-based crème fraîche
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
1 tablespoon unsweetened plant milk, if needed
A little freshly grated nutmeg
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan).
Wash the baby leeks thoroughly, removing any soil between the layers, and slice into rounds. Arrange in a lightly oiled, shallow ovenproof dish.
In a small bowl, combine the plant-based crème fraîche, Dijon mustard, grated garlic and a little freshly grated nutmeg. Season with sea salt and black pepper. If the mixture is particularly thick, add a tablespoon of plant milk to loosen it slightly.
Spoon the sauce over the leeks, turning them gently until evenly coated. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 10–15 minutes, until the leeks are tender and the surface is lightly golden.
While the gratin is baking, trim the woody ends from the asparagus. Heat a griddle pan until hot, brush the asparagus lightly with olive oil and cook for approximately 5–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender and lightly charred. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the spears.
Place the pine nuts in a small, dry frying pan over a low to medium heat. Toast for 2–3 minutes, shaking the pan regularly, until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from the heat.
Once the baby leek gratin is ready, arrange the chargrilled asparagus over the creamy leeks and scatter with the toasted pine nuts.
Finish with a little freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired. Serve while warm.
A MINDFUL MOMENT
Asparagus has such a short season that its return is easy to notice.
Before preparing it, look at the tips, the changing shades of green along the stems and the point at which the stalk naturally becomes tougher.
Seasonal cooking can begin with something as simple as recognising that an ingredient has returned.
