Chefs Corner

Chef Tips – Asparagus, Peas and Broad Beans

BY Steve Walpole

ASPARAGUS

Asparagus is such a simple ingredient (see our feature article on this ingredient). I will generally blanch or griddle it and serve it with an orange hollandaise, with a bit of citrus. Generally with asparagus you see it served with lemon but I think you want it slightly sweeter.

To make the hollandaise, you squeeze fresh orange juice into a pan with a little bit of zest and reduce it down so it begins to darken and caramelize. Make a hollandaise the normal way and then whisk in the orange juice to the base – you want a buttery hollandaise flavour with a citrus note. You can also fold in some zest to give it a little bit of fresh orange flavour and bitterness.

With asparagus, try shaving the spears from the tip to the base, rather than just chopping on an angle. This way you keep the aesthetic of it original shape and it gives a bit of crunch and texture to the salad – plus its sweet earthy flavour.

Asparagus also pickles very well – like ceviche. Dunk it for a few moments in acidulated water – lime or lemon or even pink grapefruit. This gives it a different dimension and brings it to life. Maybe serve it with some peppery leaves like rocket and some pea shoots.

PEAS AND BROAD BEANS

One of my favourite things is to prepare risotto but using potatoes instead of rice. It’s a real cheffy trick. Cut the potato very small. Sweat down the onions. Add the potato and the stock, bring it together and fold in the peas and spring veg, a bit of lemon and mint. It has to be a waxy potato. Don’t wash them as you want the starch from the potato.

Try making dips, like a guacamole with broad beans and / or peas. Add a bit of chilli and lime juice, then a bit of mascarpone or similar to bring it together. A broad bean dip with flatbreads would be perfect with this weather now.

The skins on broad beans can be quite hard if they are not young. It’s worth podding them so they keep their colour as well. If you cook them with the skins they steam inside which discolours them. Without the skin you also don’t have to blanch them for so long. There’s nothing worse than having a lovely dish and you’re chewing through the leathery skin of a broad bean.

I wouldn’t bother with podding peas, though. Putting peas on plate with a pair of tweezers is not for me. That’s a bit too far. That’s the trouble isn’t it? Food is wonderful – but sometimes you can do too much to something. I don’t need to be making asparagus into a panacotta or a mousse. Sometimes I think chefs try too hard to be creative and inventive. At this time of year produce in normal raw rustic form will bring as much pleasure with far little effort.

Steven Walpole is a leading chef and food consultant, working with a wide range of clients developing menus, recipes and other products. See www.stevewalpoleltd.com for more detail. ____________________________________________________________ Steve's CV includes stints at some of London’s best eating establishments including Browns Hotel, Home House, City Rhodes, Quaglinos, The Four Seasons, The Lanesborough, The Intercontinental, Le Champenois, Lloyds of London, The Boulestein and the Waterside Restaurant at Bray. He has been a finalist and medal winner in countless competitions including UK Parade de Chefs Olympia, Toque d’Or, Roux brother’s scholarship, Nestle Grand Prix Masterclass, Academy of Culinary Arts. Born in Essex, Steven has been passionate about cooking since he started a Saturday job in a local restaurant at the age of 15 – a whole host of college qualifications, diplomas and awards followed in rapid succession and he became a full time lecturer at the famed Westminster College in London. In 2000 Steven was the highest performing candidate in the Kitchen category at the Academy of Culinary Arts Awards and in 2003 came second at the grand final in one of the most prestigious competitions on the competition circuit – the Roux Scholarship Finals making him the youngest ever lecturer to do so. He is considered to be one of the finest young chefs in the country. Having co-presented a 10 part television series (Kids Fit Squad) with Jane Wake (fitness guru Celebrity Fit Club) for Discovery Health, Steven appeared at The Vitality Show and also at The Homes Show at Excel in London. Steven also lectures on childhood obesity, and healthy eating for children is a subject that he is passionate about. He ran a Junior Chefs Academy for children at Westminster College and held nationwide workshops teaching children how to cook. He is chef consultant to the charity HOPE (www.hopeuk.info) producing healthy recipes and inspiring children and adults to get into a healthy eating scheme and well balanced diet and worked recently with Weight Watchers UK. He is a member of the Academy of Culinary Arts. Steven has appeared at food festivals worldwide including Karachi, Pakistan and the Gourmet Food Festival in Johanesburg and Capetown, South Africa and he is part of www.celebritychefsuk.com. Looking good is equally as important and Steven regularly trains in a gym; his other interests include extreme sports and he recently participated in a parachute jump for charity – an experience he can’t wait to repeat!

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