Serves: 4 as a starter or vegetable accompaniment
Don’t buy the silvery-coloured marinated anchovies or ones that are packed in salt. What you want here are the tinned or jars of anchovies in oil. This dressing also works very well as an accompaniment to baked cod or halibut.
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs preferably organic free-range-at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons light olive oil
- 2 echalion or banana shallots, peeled and finely chopped
- 50g anchovies in oil, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons double cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
- 750g asparagus spears,trimmed
Method
- Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Put in the eggs and boil for 8 minutes. Immediately place the saucepan under cold running water and leave the eggs to get cold. Peel and finely chop the eggs and spoon into a mixing bowl.
- Heat the oil in a small saucepan and sauté the shallots for 5-6 minutes until soft but not coloured. Cool completely then stir into the chopped egg along with the anchovies, cream, lemon juice, parsley and dill. Season with a touch of salt and some ground black pepper. Chill until ready to serve.
- Steam the asparagus for 4-6 minutes depending on their thickness. Serve warm with the dressing spooned over the spears.
