Sweet, grassy asparagus and earthy radishes work so well together, raw or cooked.  Here I’ve roasted them for a quick but delicious summer salad. It works as a standalone dish for a quick lunch or as a side or a starter.

It’s hardly a recipe at all really but you can dress it up or down depending on what you have handy. Lob some trimmed spring onions into the roasting tin; scatter over some crumbled or shaved cheese before serving; and although it’s National Vegetarian Week, maybe frazzle up a few bits of ham or bacon if you’re a meat eater. I prefer the simplicity of the roasted asparagus and radishes alone though, or rather, in tandem.

If you have the peppery radish leaves, don’t throw them in the compost bin. If they’re still fresh and bright, add them at the end to wilt down in the heat of the dish.

Quantities really depend on what you have to hand but I’ve given a rough guide here. We are in the fortunate position of picking lots of asparagus from the veg patch at the moment. If you are similarly blessed you’ll find lots of recipes here – just put asparagus in the search box.

[Roasted Radishes and Asparagus” servings=”2″]

Ingredients:

12 asparagus spears, woody ends snapped off

8-10 radishes, with green tops if possible

6 spring onions, trimmed (optional)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

A squeeze of lemon juice

Method:

Heat the oven to 180C/160 fan/360F/Gas Mark 4.

Put the trimmed asparus in a roasting tin with the spring onions, if using. Halve the radishes and add to the tin. Season with salt and pepper to taste, spoon in the oil and toss to coat.

Roast for 15 minutes or until tender. Add the washed radish leaves, if using, toss through and allow to wilt in the residual heat. Put the pan on the hob for a minute if they’re not obliging. Squeeze over a little lemon juice, check the seasoning, mix again and serve. I think it’s best tepid.

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