Asparagus Nouveau: Seasonal Showcase Of English Asparagus Fresh From The Farm

A selection of guest traders from the Asparagus Growers Association will be setting up shop at Borough Market on 3rd and 4th May, selling the very best English asparagus, marking the beginning of the short but sweet growing season of this much loved product.

Guest growers will be selling first of the season English asparagus fresh from the farm in the Market Hall, ready to share the secrets of creating the perfect bunch of this quintessentially English specialty. Borough Market’s regular fruit and vegetable traders’ stalls will also be stocked with these freshly harvested green spears.

To show the versatility of asparagus and to help inspire cooking at home, a number of seasonal street food offers will be available during the season, featuring asparagus from the market’s fruit and vegetable traders. Asparagus will also be the main feature in the demo kitchen between 1-2.30pm on Friday the 4th May; Chef Neil Forbes has devised a number of dishes, which will be available as recipe cards for visitors to take away.

Neil's menu will include:
• Fresh herb gnocchi with buttered English asparagus, grated Montgomery cheddar, organic leaves
• Sundried tomato, olive and English asparagus frittata, salad of rocket, sheep's curd and olive oil
• Charred English asparagus with sauce gribiche and crispy ham
• Salad of raw English asparagus with broad beans, mint and peas, with a crumbly goats cheese and olive oil
• Gently-cooked smoked salmon wrapped English asparagus with radish and watercress