Late April through to early June is the time to really enjoy delicious homegrown asparagus. This quick and easy spring recipe is the perfect way to make the most of these fresh-tasting succulent spears – lightly roasted, sitting atop a creamy whipped feta spread on crispy ciabatta toasts with a tangy drizzle of hot honey. 

Ingredients

• 200g feta cheese, crumbled
  
• 125g Greek yoghurt
  
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 10 slices ciabatta or French bread, cut on the diagonal
  
• 150g asparagus tips, trimmed 
  
• 2 tablespoons hot honey (see Tips)
  
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped mint, to garnish

Method

1. To make the whipped feta, place the feta cheese, yoghurt and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a food processor or blender. Process for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add lemon juice and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper then process again for a few seconds (see Tips). Transfer to a bowl and cover and chill until required.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas Mark 6. Brush each side of the bread slices with some of the remaining olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, turning once, until crisp and golden. Set aside to cool.
3. Place the asparagus tips on a shallow baking tray, drizzle over any remaining oil, turning to coat.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and roast for 6-8 minutes or until just tender.
4. Spread each crostini generously with the whipped feta (you may have some left over depending on the size of the crostini), then top each one with 2 roasted asparagus tips. Serve drizzled with a little hot honey and garnished with freshly chopped mint.

TIPS

• To make your own hot honey, heat a small non-stick frying pan and add 1 teaspoon coarsely ground dried chilli peppers – I use the Cole & Mason Stadhampton Chilli & Spice Mill which is great for a quick grind of chilli heat when you need it. Cook for about 30 seconds then remove the pan from the heat and pour in 120g runny honey. Swirl the pan to warm the honey, leave to cool and infuse for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a heatproof jar or small jug. The honey will keep covered in a cool dark place for a few weeks. 
  
• If the consistency of the whipped feta is still a little thick after adding the lemon juice, add another 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil and process for a further few seconds. You can add some freshly chopped herbs at this stage if you like - dill, parsley or mint will all work well. Only season with pepper to taste as feta is a salty flavoured cheese.
  
• Both the crostini and whipped feta can be prepared in advance. Store the crostini in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If they are slightly soft, just pop in a hot over or an air fryer for a few minutes to crispen. The whipped feta can be stored covered in the fridge for 2-3 days.