Recipes: Asparagus risotto with smoked haddock | Baked asparagus and Parmesan custards | Asparagus, toasted pinenuts and Parma ham salad with lime and mustard dressing

I DID try not to write about asparagus this year, but it is a subject impossible to ignore. Asparagus is one of our great seasonal culinary treats, but only when our own, British, asparagus is ready to eat.

I DID try not to write about asparagus this year, but it is a subject impossible to ignore. Asparagus is one of our great seasonal culinary treats, but only when our own, British, asparagus is ready to eat.

Or even better, when Scottish asparagus is available. This year, asparagus was for sale earlier than usual, along with every other plant, due to the mild weather. We have been able to buy it for several weeks now, and I fear that accordingly, its season will end quite soon. But that is one of the attractions of eating seasonally; food becomes a continuous treat. Imported asparagus just does not taste anything like as good as that grown in this country.

Asparagus is widely useful, both in cold and hot dishes. It combines deliciously with ham and bacon, with shellfish and fish of all kinds, with lemon and with cheese, especially with Parmesan. I love asparagus, whether steamed or brushed with olive oil and roasted.

Asparagus risotto with smoked haddock

This is such a very good lunch or supper dish, needing only a mixed leaf salad to accompany the risotto.

Serves 6

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, each skinned, halved and finely diced

12oz/340g risotto rice, eg arborio

¼ pint/140ml dry white wine

1lb/450g asparagus, the tops cut off and kept to one side, the rest of the stalks chopped and simmered in 1½ pints/1 litre stock - I use chicken stock - until tender. Then whiz to a smooth texture with a hand-held blender

1lb/450g filleted smoked haddock

1 teaspoon salt, about 20 grinds of black pepper

grated rind of 1 lemon

2oz/55g butter

1 heaped tablespoon of finely chopped parsley

In a wide deep sauté pan heat the olive oil and, over moderate heat, fry the finely diced onions, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. The onions should be transparent and soft, but not changed in colour. Stir in the rice, stirring it well, for a minute or so, the aim being to coat each grain of rice in oil.

Stir in the white wine, let it bubble and virtually evaporate before stirring in some of the asparagus puree/stock. Stir and cook gently, and when the liquid is almost gone, add more from the jug of asparagus stock. Meanwhile, feel the smoked haddock and cut out any bones you feel. Cut the fish into even sized chunks, about 1in/2.5cm in size.

When almost all the asparagus stock is incorporated into the risotto, taste it and season with salt and black pepper, and stir in the finely grated lemon rind, and the butter, cut in bits. The butter gives the risotto a gloss as well as rounding off the flavour.

Stir in the pieces of smoked haddock, which will cook in the heat of the risotto, and the asparagus tips. Lastly, stir in the remainder of the asparagus stock. Don’t let the risotto become too stiff and stodgy, it should spread on the plate. The pieces of smoked haddock will take about 5 minutes to cook through once added to the risotto. Just before serving, stir the finely chopped parsley through the risotto.

Baked asparagus and Parmesan custards

These make a good first course. They come to no harm sitting, if kept warm.

Serves 6