Who would have thought that the asparagus was so very naughty? It is acclaimed as an aphrodisiac, not just because of its shape, but because it is rich in the vitamins important in the production of sex hormones.

The Romans even had a saying, “Do it quicker than you can cook asparagus”, which is no mean feat, given that the plant can be cooked in just five minutes.

In the 16th-century work The Perfumed Garden, a daily dish of asparagus is recommended as having “great erotic effect”. Apparently, yolk of egg fried in fat, camel’s milk and honey “causes the virile member to be on the alert, day and night”.

According to Colin Spencer in his wonderful Vegetable Book (Conran Octopus), the 17th-century herbalists John Gerard and Nicholas Culpeper both wrote of the vegetable “increasing seed and stirring up lust”. He also tells us that Louis XV’s Madame de Pompadour “lived off asparagus tips and egg yolks, with an occasional dish of truffles, celery leaves and vanilla”.

Personally, I think its steamy reputation comes from the fact that it is best eaten in the fingers. People who eat with their fingers are naturally more sensual. Messier, yes, but more sensual.

Ingredients

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 30 min

Serves 4

Dip your asparagus in a piquant Catalan sauce of red peppers and almonds.

2 sweet red peppers, roasted
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 thick slice peasant-style bread, cubed
1 tomato, roughly chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
40g ground almonds
½tsp genuine smoked Spanish paprika
½tsp crushed dried chillies
Sea salt and black pepper
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1kg fresh green asparagus
1 tbsp toasted almonds

Method

Peel and seed the roasted red peppers and roughly chop. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the garlic and cubed bread until golden.

In a food processor, combine the peppers, garlic and bread with the tomato, tomato purée, ground almonds, paprika, chilli, sea salt and pepper and whiz to a rough paste. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the vinegar and olive oil, adjusting flavours to your taste. Loosen the sauce with two or three tbsp water.

Heat a ridged cast-iron grill. Snap the asparagus and discard the woody ends. Toss in a little extra olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Grill for five minutes or until tender, turning occasionally. Arrange on four dinner plates, scatter with toasted almonds, and serve with the romesco sauce for dipping or spooning.

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