With such a short growing season Asparagus deserves to be treated well. If you are unfamiliar with “Compleat” eating or “root to shoot” cooking, the idea is to eat all edible parts of produce. Sorrel Crêpes with Asparagus garnished with a pesto made from the often discarded stems is a delicious example of this.
Sorrel Crêpes
Ingredients:
- 50 g each chickpea flour and gluten-free plain flour
- 50 g firm tofu
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 250 ml oat milk or plant-based milk of choice
- 40 g or ½ stuffed cup of sorrel leaves
Method:
Heat a little oil in an 18cm crepe pan on a medium to high heat.
Using a ladle, pour batter into your pan and swirl to coat the base, or use a palette knife to spread and smooth your batter.
Depending on how thin and even your crêpe is, and your pan’s heat, the crêpe should cook until set on top, without burning, within a few minutes. Otherwise, loosen the edges with a spatula or palette knife and flip to finish cooking. Repeat until you run out of batter.
This mixture can make 8-12 crêpes, it depends on the size and thickness of the crêpes and the cook.
Keep warm until serving or reheat in the oven on low temperature, or in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
For more detailed instructions click here
Cashew and Tofu Cream Cheese
Ingredients:
- 100 grams cashew nuts soaked
- 200 grams firm tofu
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Himalayan sea salt
Optional for an extra cheesy taste
- 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp fine onion granules
Method:
Soak the cashews for at least 4 hours and drain. Add drained tofu, salt, lemon and apple cider vinegar to the cashews and blend until combined.
While the blender is running add water a tablespoon at a time until the mixture resembles a cream style cheese.
Taste to check seasoning and acid (the lemon and vinegar), add more if you think it needs it.
Asparagus
3 asparagus spears per crêpe approx 600g
Snap the ends off the asparagus, save these.
Prepare how you like them best; steam, blanche, griddle or serve raw
Asparagus Pesto
Ingredients:
- Asparagus tips
- 4-6 mint leaves leaves
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and grated
- 1/4 cup toasted pinenuts
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon fine onion granules
- juice and zest of a lemon
- 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
- seasoning to taste
Another seasonal pesto recipe you might like to try
Method:
Trim off any woody, inedible ends, off the saved asparagus stem pieces.
Place all ingredients, except olive oil, into a food processor.
While the processor is running, drizzle in enough olive oil to make a roughly chopped pesto.
Taste – season – add more of any ingredients until you like the flavour.
Garnish – think crunch, zing and freshness, so herbs or microgreens, nuts or seeds and zest
Another Asparagus recipe that you could serve in a Sorrel Crêpe or wrap it around your breakfast scramble
