Recipe for spring: Asparagus pancakes

Spring is here, which means not only is it bearable to spend some time outside again, but lots of fruits and vegetables are in season!

But since you’ll probably want to read in the park or go for a stroll to a farmers’ market, we’ve come up with a quick and easy recipe that won’t cost you too much outdoor time.

Spring Pancakes

Pancakes are an everyday classic, yet with some simple adjustments, you won’t be able to recognise them in their spring suit.

Wrapping some pancakes around asparagus is not only easy but also delicious. If you can, try to find some locally grown green asparagus or keep an eye out for white asparagus, a rare treat that is only in season from April to May (Tesco and Morrisons are the only mainstream UK supermarkets that sell it, in a glass or sometimes fresh).

Serves 2 

3 Free-range Eggs
1 teaspoon of baking powder
120g plain flour
130 ml milk
A pinch of salt
500g asparagus

Combine all of the ingredients, excluding the asparagus, until they form a smooth batter, then pour a couple of tablespoonfuls in a hot, greased pan and fry until golden brown.

If you’re having trouble creating fluffy goodness, you can always let Jamie Oliver help you out here.

Once you’ve tackled the pancakes, the asparagus will be just as easy. You can either boil or steam it to make it tender; green asparagus will take about five minutes, whereas fresh white asparagus takes about twelve minutes.

Next, spice it up and add a sauce. Our recommendation is either a classic hollandaise or a lighter sweet chilli sauce. You can get both ready-made at a supermarket, but we prefer to make ours from scratch.

Hollandaise Sauce

4 egg yolk
2-3 tbsp white wine
Salt to taste
125g butter
Lemon juice to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Hollandaise sauce is one of the most difficult sauces to get right, as you have to perfectly time each step of the cooking process.

To start, place the egg yolk, the wine and a pinch of salt in a large bowl and whisk together until thick and creamy. Add a tiny bit of water if your mix isn’t creamy enough.

Next, melt some butter in a saucepan, but be careful not to let it burn and turn brown. Slowly pour the melted butter into the bowl with your other ingredients, stirring it all the while with a whisk.

Sweet Chilli Sauce:

4 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp lime juice
4 tbsp honey or golden syrup
1 clove crushed garlic
2-3 chopped chillies (depending on how hot you want the sauce to be)
Optional: Ground salted peanuts to sprinkle

Combine all the ingredients, apart from the chillies and garlic, until they form a smooth sauce. Then gradually stir in the chillies and the garlic.

Now it’s time to put it all together!

Place a pancake on a plate and put some of the asparagus in the middle of it. Pour your sauce of choice over it and wrap the pancake around the asparagus. You can also sprinkle some more sauce on top of your creation.

Extra Tip: Save some of the pancake batter for dessert and add some lovely seasonal strawberries!

Bon Appetit! 

Luisa Kapp