How to save asparagus trimmings from the food-waste bin – recipe | Waste not
Asparagus butts are a particularly tricky byproduct to tame because they’re so fibrous.I usually cut them very finely (into 5mm-thick discs, or even thinner), then boil, puree and pass them through a sieve (as in my green goddess salad dressing and asparagus soup), but even then you’ll still end up with a fair bit of fibrous waste.Enter asparagus-butt butter: a recipe that defies all odds, making the impossible possible by transforming a tough offcut into an intense compound butter that’s perfect for grilling or frying asparagus spears themselves, or for eggs, bread, gnocchi or whatever you can think of.The short fibres brown and caramelise in the butter, and in the process become the highlight of the dish, rather than the problem.This transforms an unwanted byproduct into an intense expression of the plant’s flavour.
Rich, gooey and powerful, this recipe defies all logic.It’s technically incorrect, not least because the strong plant fibres are still present rather than extracted by being passed through a sieve.But those fibres, if the asparagus ends are cut thinly enough (to avoid long, ropey fibres that are stronger than dental floss), caramelise in the pan and intensify the asparagus flavour.I like to serve the deliciously rustic butter with grilled asparagus spears, which I cook in a skillet; if you like, fry an egg in the same butter alongside the spears and serve on top of the asparagus.1 bunch asparagus Sea salt, to tasteHerb sprigs – parsley, coriander, thyme (optional)Salted or plain butter, weighed to match the blanched sliced asparagus butts 1 garlic clove, peeled (optional)Wash the asparagus, then lay the spears on a board with all the tips at one end.
Very finely chop the thick ends of the stems into discs less than 5mm thick, working your way up the spears until you reach the tender parts (save the spears to use how you see fit).Prepare an ice bath and bring a small pan of water to a rolling boil.Salt the water, then drop in the sliced asparagus butts and boil for 90-120 seconds; if you have any fresh herbs to hand (parsley, coriander, thyme), drop in a few sprigs for the last 10 seconds or so.Drain the asparagus mix, then plunge into the iced water to shock and refresh the veg.Once the blanched sliced asparagus butts are cold, drain and transfer them to a clean towel, then press dry.
Weigh the blanched asparagus and herbs (if using), then put in a food processor with the same weight of butter (or more if you need more asparagus butter) and the optional peeled clove of garlic.Pulse blend to a smooth, green puree, then finish by blending in a generous pinch of flaky sea salt to taste.Pack into a sealed container and keep in the fridge for up to two days (or freeze for up to three months).
How to make arancini – recipe | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass
Before I wrote this recipe, it hadn’t occurred to me that the word “arancini” means “little oranges”, and, plump, round and golden as they are, it makes sense, too. Indeed, these robust rice balls, which are said to have come to Sicily with Arab invaders in the 10th century, are now, according to the late Antonio Carluccio, the local equivalent of a sandwich lunch.Prep 25 min Cook 45 min Makes 8 large ballsFor the risotto700ml chicken stock, or vegetable stock100ml white wine (optional)250g short-grain rice (eg, arborio)½ tsp salt, plus extra to season1 very generous pinch saffron (optional)50g parmesan, or grano padano or vegetarian alternative, gratedBlack pepperFor the arancini2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk100g mozzarella, drained and cut into chunksOptional other fillings of your choice – meat ragu, pesto, sauteed mushrooms, wilted or defrosted greens170g plain flour 250g fine dried breadcrumbs (preferably not panko)Neutral oil, for fryingFlaky sea salt, to finish (optional)Risotto is a northern Italian dish, so Sicilian arancini weren’t designed with it in mind, but they are great vehicles for risotto leftovers. My recipe is intended for 700g cooked rice, but adjust the fillings and coating according to what you have; these are also a great way to repurpose small amounts of ragu, cooked vegetables, fish or meat.If you’re cooking the rice from scratch, put the stock and wine (or substitute 100ml extra stock, if you prefer) in a medium pan and bring to a boil – I like chicken stock, because I find it the most neutrally savoury, but use whatever suits the fillings you’re using
Mitsu, London EC2: ‘Determinedly fun and delicious’ – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants
No spoilers, but I knew even before I’d reached for my chopsticks that Mitsu would be a vast improvement on its predecessor, because it has taken the place of Nobu Shoreditch in the under-gusset of the Aethos hotel, a Swiss-owned “lifestyle hospitality brand”, in east London. Nobu was gargantuan, moodily lit (that is, pitch black), woundingly expensive and terrifically hard to book, despite having something like 797 seats; it was also one of the most soulless London restaurants of the past 25 years. Nobu Shoreditch felt symbolic: it was where all the raffish hope of the 1990s YBA crowd and the early noughties electroclash heads went to die.But that was then, and now, in 2026, the Aethos crew has deftly brightened and lightened the mood of the room, making it actually cosy and adding a twinkly central bar; there’s an open robata kitchen and roomy booths, as well as a pretty Japanese garden. Mitsu calls itself an izakaya, which is what European restaurateurs always say when they mean the Japanese-influenced food isn’t too po-faced and you can get really tipsy on sake
Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for Mexican-style vanilla bean flan | The sweet spot
I started the year in one of my favourite places: Mexico City. I’ve since become one of those annoying people who finds a way to bring it up in nearly every conversation, so please indulge me just this once! Each time I’ve been to Mexico, I develop a new fixation, and this year I ate a considerable amount of flan. It’s seen as a bit of a retro dish here in the UK, and perhaps a little divisive, but I love it.Mexican-style flan is typically made with condensed milk, giving it a gorgeous, silky, creamy texture. I’ve also added plenty of vanilla – brought back from my trip, of course
How to match wine with vegetables
At a recent tasting, I got chatting to a winemaker from Australia’s Clare Valley as I bravely made my way through his wares: a ripe, leathery shiraz and a deep, dark cabernet sauvignon that put me in mind of blackcurrant bushes. These were serious wines – and good value, too. A generation ago, such gutsy New World reds were all the rage, but now, lamented the winemaker, gen Z was more interested in lighter, cooler-climate wines, lower on the alcohol and brighter on the palate.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link
‘Restaurants won’t survive’: Michelin chef opens venues abroad to withstand UK taxes
A British Michelin-starred chef says he is opening restaurants abroad to subsidise his UK venues against a backdrop of high taxes and a struggling hospitality sector.Jason Atherton is now in Forte dei Marmi, on the Tuscan coast in Italy, where he is preparing his newest opening, Maria’s, which will be in the Principessa hotel. The Sheffield-born chef now has restaurants all over the world, including in Dubai and St Moritz.He said he was finding it easier to make a profit in countries with more forgiving policies towards restaurants, pubs and bars. “I am trying to sustain our business by opening abroad
Rachel Roddy’s recipe for spring chicken thighs with spring onions, mint and peas | A kitchen in Rome
The weather lately has been as temperamental as peas in pods. But peas are even harder to read than the sky: some pods contain sweet things no bigger than peppercorns, which explode when you bite them; the contents of others, however, are closer to small ball bearings, their size very likely a sign that all the natural sucrose has been metabolised and transformed to pea starch. The best thing for the tiny ones is to snack on them alongside a bit of cheese, whereas the path for big ones is the same as for dried peas, so pea and ham soup or a long-simmered puree.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link
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