One of the simplest and tastiest ways to prepare asparagus is to grill or roast it with a little olive oil. Here, grilled asparagus is paired with a delicious creamy quinoa with hints of lemon and cumin. Prepare the quinoa in advance and just grill the asparagus for a little over 5 minutes before serving. Add the asparagus to the bowl and mix into the dressing, seasoning with extra salt if required. Serve either in one serving dish or in individual bowls.

A shiraae is a versatile Japanese dish that can be made with most vegetables and always has a tofu-based dressing. You can adjust the amounts of sesame paste and miso to create the best blend for any particular vegetable, making a creamy dressing by adding ripe avocado or changing the texture by adding it diced. This particular recipe works well with young asparagus. Asparagus in general is an expensive vegetable in comparison to many common vegetables. This is partly because asparagus is notoriously time-consuming to grow. Bring some water to the boil in a saucepan, then add a little salt and lightly cook the asparagus for a few minutes. It should still be firm when drained. Cool the spears under cold running water and pat them dry. Unlike most fruit and vegetables asparagus does not become ready to eat in its first year of planting, in fact it can take four years before asparagus comes through as edible spears. Once the domain of gourmet restaurants, white asparagus is already a steadfast favourite in some European countries – it's even known as 'white gold' in Germany. We take a closer look at why white asparagus should be on your vegetable list this year. What is White Asparagus?

How to Clean and Prep Asparagus

Put the tofu in a bowl and add the ground sesame seeds, sugar, light soy sauce and miso and mix thoroughly. Recipe supplied by Rachel Green, british‑asparagus.co.uk Gorgonzola, asparagus and hazelnut risotto The result of farming the asparagus as white asparagus is that the white asparagus has a more delicate flavour than the green asparagus and has a less greasy feel to it. Afraid of Blood: Leonard sees his own bloodied hand and throws up in the sink... where Sheldon was defrosting a steak. Mix the creme fraiche, egg yolks, chives, horseradish and cream, then season. Spread over the asparagus. Top with parmesan.

Recipe supplied by Melissa Hemsley and Jasmine Hemsley, hemsleyandhemsley.com Asparagus frittata with soft cheese and chives Steaming is another popular cooking method, in which all of the asparagus' flavour is retained – a much healthier alternative to cooking in butter.

What Is the Difference Between White Asparagus and Green Asparagus?

Serve in warmed bowls and scatter the toasted, flaked almonds on top with lemon zest and a swirl of extra virgin olive oil. Alternatively, chill and remove from the fridge just before serving, then garnish as above. It can be eaten raw if sliced thinly although it is tastier and more tender when cooked. It is a popular vegetable due to having high levels of nutrients and no fat content. Where Can You Buy White Asparagus? Take your lead from these countries' tried and tested methods of enjoying the white spears or go all out and try these two gourmet chef recipes showcasing the heady haute cuisine heights of the glistening white gold: White Asparagus Recipes This is a fine dish for using asparagus spears known as "sprue", which are much thinner and consequently less expensive than more perfect specimens. Don't bother peeling them – just remove the tougher base stalks and throw the rest in the pan.