Asparagus with white bean dip & feta

Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables. I love the taste, but it also signals the start of spring and warm weather. The name even originates from the Greek word ‘asparagos’, meaning ‘to spring up’!

Asparagus is typically in season for around 8 weeks, from the end of April until the summer solstice on June 21, but the season varies a bit according to the weather. The first crop after planting can take up to 3 years, which is one reason why asparagus tends to be a little more expensive.

It’s a great veggie to add to your diet if your budget allows as asparagus is rich in minerals and vitamins A, C, K, and folic acid and is also high in fiber to keep your microbes happy. Asparagus acts as a prebiotic, feeding good bacteria in the gut. A higher fibre diet (UK Government recommends 30g per day) has been linked to weight loss (increased satiety, regular bowel movements, blood sugar regulation), reduced blood pressure, and improvement in menopausal symptoms (hot flushes, mood swings, and anxiety).

Asparagus is a good source of antioxidants like Vitamin A and Vitamin E, glutathione, and quercetin. Antioxidants may protect against cell damage by free radicals, which are highly reactive and unstable molecules produced by normal metabolic processes in the body, as well as external sources such as poor diet, smoking, alcohol, and pollution. These molecules can cause oxidative stress and inflammation, which have been linked to aging, heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and cancer. Antioxidants and polyphenols in asparagus may have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body, helping to prevent chronic disease.

This dish is a great starter or side dish, but it’s also really nice for lunch with toasted sourdough.

Ingredients

Serves 2-3 for lunch with sourdough or 4 as a starter

• 230-250g asparagus (depending on bunch size)

• 20-30g pine nuts

• 100g / ½ tin cannellini beans

• ½ garlic clove, grated finely 

• Handful of parsley

• Juice of ½ lemon

• 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• A good pinch of sea salt

• 50-80g feta (depending how much you like)

Method

• Heat a griddle pan, or frying pan if you dont have one (you just wont get the lines). 

• Trim the woody ends off the asparagus, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and mix together. 

• Cook one side of the asparagus for about 6 mins, push the spears down with a spatula to help the black griddle marks form. Turn and repeat. 

• Remove and set to one side on a plate. 

• Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan for a few minutes until golden - dont take your eye off them or they’re burn!!

• Next blitz the beans, parsley (reserve a few leaves for serving), garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt in a small mixer until it forms a smooth paste. 

• Spoon the dip onto a serving plate, place the asparagus on top then crumble over the feta, adding the pine nuts on top along with the reserved parsley leaves.  

• Drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon and sea salt to serve. 

Tip

• If you are vegan, just leave off the feta and add a few more pine nuts as this dish is also lovely without the cheese.

• Pine nuts can be switched for toasted hazelnuts, almonds or sunflower and pumpkin seeds