Denise says:
- You can pickle most vegetables with surprisingly tasty results, and asparagus is fun option. Look for an asparagus bunch with thin to medium sized spears.
- The tougher, thicker spears will not become as tender or flavoursome when you pickle them. You can reuse the pickle liquid for other vegetables like cucumbers, radishes and beetroot.
- This recipe makes a great starter, as long as you have time to prepare in advance. Enjoy with some crusty bread.
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes
- Cooking Time: 5 minutes
- Serves 2 people
Ingredients:
- 300g fresh asparagus
- 100ml cider vinegar
- 100ml water
- 50g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ~
- 160g tinned tuna in sunflower oil – drained
- 1 medium egg yolk
- 75ml olive oil
- Juice 1 lemon
- ~
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 tablespoon raisins – soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes and drained
- ¼ red onion – peeled and finely chopped
- Fresh dill sprigs
- Garnish: 1 lemon – cut into wedges, black pepper
Method
- Trim off the woody ends of the asparagus (roughly 2-3cm), then put the spears in a pan with the vinegar, 100ml water, sugar and mustard seeds and dried dill.
- Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the spears cool in the liquid. You can leave overnight in an airtight container or use immediately.
- To make the sauce, put the tuna and egg yolk in a food processor and whizz together.
- With the motor still running slowly, drizzle the olive oil in a stream. If the mixture seems a little thick after adding all of the oil, add a splash of water. You want the consistency to be like double cream, but still loose enough to pour.
Tagged in: Asparagus, Capers, Cider Vinegar, egg yolk, English, Lunch, Sultanas, summer starter, Tinned tuna