Asparagus

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180 ºC
2. Rinse your asparagus spears and if the ends are woody, cut them off
3. Line a roasting tin with foil or baking paper and arrange the asparagus on the lined tin
4. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Throw in a couple of whole garlic cloves for extra flavour
5. Put the tray in the oven and roast for approximately 10 minutes, depending on how thick your spears are
6. To serve, squeeze over some lemon juice and top with shavings of fresh Parmesan

Method

1. For the blackberry sauce, place the blackberries in a bowl and toss with the clove, lemon juice, bay leaf, thyme, and sugar and set aside
2. Melt the butter in a small pan and fry the shallot and mushrooms over a medium heat until softened and light golden-brown. Stir in the port and wine and carefully set alight, then add the blackberry mix and a pinch of salt. Gently simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, then purée in a blender or food processor. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve and set aside
3. Rub the fat of the duck with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the duck, skin side down in a heavy based cold frying pan (you don’t need to preheat or add oil) and place on a medium heat. Cook slowly for approximately 5 minutes, until the skin is crisp and golden brown. Turn the duck and cook for a further 3 – 4 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow the duck breasts to rest for at least two minutes
4. Meanwhile, bring a large frying pan of salted water (just enough to cover the asparagus) to the boil, and add the trimmed asparagus. Cook for four minutes, or until a knife slides easily through the ends. Drain and toss in butter
5. To serve, arrange the asparagus evenly on two boards in an attractive crisscross. Slice each duck breast with a sharp knife and place on the board next to the asparagus. Drizzle with the blackberry sauce, and finish with fresh blackberries

Method

1. Boil a heavy-bottomed pan of slightly-salted water, and add the linguine once it is firmly boiling
   
2. While the pasta is cooking (but when it is almost ready), put a medium-sized frying pan on the heat with a generous drizzle of olive oil
3. Put the pancetta into the pan and sauté for 3 minutes
4. Add the asparagus tips to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the tips soften
5. Drain the pasta (making sure it is still slightly al dente) and toss with olive oil
6. Add the asparagus, pancetta, and a squeeze of lemon juice, and mix together
7. Top with parmesan, and season with salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Slice off the woody ends of the asparagus. Use a vegetable peeler and starting from the bottom, peel upwards to create thin ribbons. 
2. Cut the cucumber lengthways in slices, halve the cherry tomatoes, and coarsely chop the parsley
3. Place all the ingredients in a bowl
4. Place the dressing ingredients in a jar and beat with a fork.
5. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss
6. Scatter the top with parmesan shavings to serve

Method