“This is a great combination of flavours. I like to whip the crowdie cheese to make it creamier and smoother, and the oven-dried tomatoes give it a rich burst of flavour.”

Serves 2

Prep time 20 minutes; cooking time: 10 minutes, plus 2 hours for drying the tomatoes

INGREDIENTS

26 spears of British asparagus

10 mixed cherry tomatoeS

A few thyme leaves

2 heaped tablespoons of crowdie

A few salad leaves like mustard or watercress

A tablespoon each of dill, tarragon, parsley and basil

1 teaspoon mustard

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1 anchovy fillet, optional

Good salt and pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil, plus extra for cooking the tomatoes

METHOD

Heat the oven to 100°C. Place the tomatoes in an oven-proof dish and trickle over a little olive oil, salt, pepper and few thyme leaves. Cook for around 2 hours.

Prepare the asparagus by removing an inch from the bottom of each spear, then peel as if sharpening a pencil.
If you have an electric hand-held whisk, use it to whip the crowdie. If not, just use a normal metal whisk. Once smooth and silky, place into a piping bag.

Make a green sauce by pulsing the dill, tarragon, parsley, basil, mustard, vinegar, anchovy and 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a liquidiser. Season if required.

Next, blanch the prepared asparagus spears in boiling, salted water for 1 minute to take the rawness off them. Then place onto a chargrill pan with a pinch of salt and cook for a few minutes until slightly charred.

To plate up, pipe the crowdie in to 3 spaced-out mounds on each plate, then lay the asparagus on top, and dot the tomatoes around the plate. Top with some green sauce and decorate with a few salad leaves. Serve at once.