Asparagus is one of those vegetables that really is best eaten in season. It’s coming into season from around now until the month of June. It won’t have travelled as far so it should be that bit fresher and cheaper than usual. Asparagus has no fat or cholesterol and is high in amino and folic acids, potassium, fibre, Vitamins A and C. And of course, the better the asparagus, the smellier your wee…

This recipe, relatively low on ingredients but high on taste, will serve four big portions or five-six smaller portions.

The most expensive ingredient is the parmesan but it’s worth always having a little of this in your fridge. The remainder of the ingredients cost me under €8: I had the milk in the fridge and the tomato and onion in the vegetable press.

Asparagus Quiche

Ingredients:

• 1 roll of shortcrust pastry (I use the Jus-Rol frozen pastry)
• 8 eggs
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 100g asparagus
• A handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced into halves
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

• Preheat oven on a high heat.
• The pastry MUST be blind baked or you’ll have a very soggy and unpalatable quiche. Cover with foil and then cover the foil with dried beans or peas. Cook for 15 minutes, remove the peas or beans, and bake for 5 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, oven-roast the tomatoes and onion with a teaspoon of olive oil for about eight minutes.
• Trim the lower part of the asparagus and cook in boiling water until tender (around 6 minutes). Cool the asparagus under a cold tap.
• Whisk together the eggs, milk, and parmesan cheese with a little salt and pepper.
• Line your circular quiche tin with the pastry and cover with the asparagus, tomatoes, and onion. Slowly add the egg mixture.
• Reduce the heat to about 180 °C. Bake for around half an hour or until the egg mix is cooked through.
• Serve with a side salad.