Instructions: Mix the creme fraiche with the dill and a squeeze of lemon juice divide between four small dipping bowls and top with a generous amount of salmon caviar.

Cook the asparagus in salted simmering water or steam until tender then lightly season.

Lay the asparagus on four serving plates each with a bowl of caviar creme fraiche for dipping into and eat with buttered brown bread.

Northern Europeans especially Germans consider white asparagus to be the best. Reared in the dark and devoid of chlorophyll the fat stems become anaemic pink and their tips pastelpurple. They need something salty such as fish roe to perk them up. Ignore the al dente rule when cooking them; their creamy stems should be well steamed. and seriously floppy. Remember to give them a good peel or theyll end up stringy. If youre happy with making hollandaise you can use this instead of the dill creme fraiche: serve the asparagus in a neat raftlike arrangement on each plate then pour over the hollandaise sauce and top with salmon eggs.

Serves 4

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