Summer Asparagus with Brown Butter, Sage Leaves and Parma Crumb

This scrumptious summer dish makes the most of the more mature asparagus we get at this time of year. Vibrant green asparagus is coated in a sumptuous brown butter infused with fresh sage leaves. Topped with an easy parma ham crumb for an umami hit, it really gets the taste buds tingling.

For an easy starter, simply cook and refresh the asparagus and make the parma ham ahead. Toss the asparagus into the brown butter to heat through when you are ready to serve and top with the parma crumb.

Ingredients

400g asparagus, woody ends removed

100g parma ham

200g salted butter

1 lemon

Handful of sage leaves

Method

Serves 4

Pre-heat your oven to 200c/180c fan.

Spread the Parma ham on a baking sheet in a single layer. Pop into the oven for 5 - 8 minutes until crisp, then remove and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and snap the woody ends from the asparagus stalks. Blanch in the water until just soft, then drop into a bowl of ice water to refresh and stop the cooking process. Drain on top of kitchen towel.

Whizz the baked Parma ham in a food processor until it becomes crumbs.

Heat the butter in a high sided frying pan or saute pan and cook until it is foamy and smells biscuity. Squeeze in the lemon juice to season the butter and stop it cooking further.

Add the sage leaves and swirl in the hot butter for a minute until they are cooked.

Toss the asparagus in the butter to coat and then divide between the plates. Spoon over the brown butter and sage leaves and top with the Parma ham crumb.

Serve immediately.