Eating local

and a recipe for asparagus and burrata with lemon inspired by Dotty’s

Is it possible to eat too much asparagus?

If it’s May, and the sun is warm, and the lilacs are blooming and the tulips are fighting to keep their heavy heads afloat, I know that asparagus is coming. Not from Mexico or Peru, but from Ayse at Marvellous Edibles or Nicole from Woolerdale Farm.

When I see the thick and fat purple-headed stalks, so lovely and full of promise, a frisson of joy runs through me. I’ve been in training all winter long to eat as much asparagus as I can. The season is fleeting before this herald of the season of plenty bows out for its seasonal summer cousins.

The only question is - how many new ways can I find to make this most favourite of vegetables?

Pure and simple

The first local stalks were at the market this week, ranked like soldiers from thin and delicate, mid-sized to fat and thick. Seen in their unadorned glory, it’s easy to imagine them in all manner of guises: asparagus risotto, say, or a cheesy frittata, chicken and asparagus crepes, a creamy soup, a roasted veggie salad.

But when the source material is this good, applying human intervention with a light touch and a thoughtful alchemy of ingredients is best. It’s said that making a simple omelette really really well is usually the marker of a great cook. The other is taking a superb ingredient, and letting it shine with the least possible amount of adornment. That’s where the mastery of the accomplished chef shines.

Local hero

We were at Dotty’s this week, our most favourite local, and the new-ish home for Chef Jay Carter’s exquisite cooking. Carter and his business partner Susan Beckett previously ran Dandylion, a beloved restaurant that featured Carter’s finely-tuned imaginative cooking and Beckett’s expert wine pairings.

Their new home, Dotty’s, is an easy and cheerful local, with a small creative menu, an even smaller kitchen, a killer cocktail menu, and with every dish, a reminder that simple makes food shine.

Our go-to starter, the smoothest pimento cheese, is served alongside Ritz crackers. The cheeseburger is the best in the city: not a trendy triple decker affair with short ribs and fois gras, but a perfectly cooked patty with American cheese, pickles and the soft hamburger bun of your dreams. A Big Mac reimagined by a master chef. The fat French fries alongside are just what you need on a weekday night. Making simple food that tastes this good is high art at Dotty’s.

Ritz crackers are exactly what you want with pimento cheese

On Friday night, we saw that Chef Jay had added an asparagus dish to the menu. Blanched asparagus served with burrata cheese, finished with some sort of wonderful alchemy of olive oil, poppyseeds, lemon zest and whatever other fairy dust Carter pulled from his bag of tricks. The star of the dish was undoubtedly the asparagus, and the supporting players added just the right balance of wonderful flavours. Happiness on a plate.

The beauty of Dotty’s is that this isn’t a high-faluting place with white tablecloths and impossible reservations. Walk in and get a table. Order a gin and tonic that comes with a couple of curls of grapefruit zest (why didn’t I think of that?), complement your pimento cheese with lemon pepper squid, have a steak with those frites, and don’t forget to order soft serve ice cream for dessert, currently strawberry with the season’s first rhubarb.

As the season rolls out its abundance, we’ll be making regular stops at Dotty’s to see what Carter is doing with our local produce. If you’re a local too, stop by for some inspiration. Or just the best French fries around.

Dotty’s, 1588 Dupont Street, Tuesday-Saturday 4:30-10 pm, Instagram.

Asparagus with burrata and lemon

serves 4

They say imitation is the best form of flattery, and that’s especially true in the realm of cooking. Inspiration is all around us, and we can follow the leader and create our own takes on both tried and true favourites or new flavour sensations.

While my version of Chef Jay’s asparagus and burrata dish is not nearly as good by half as the original, it got me out of my usual grilled asparagus rut. You might be equally inspired to think outside the steamer when it comes to making your first batch of this year’s asparagus.

Note: Look for fat stalks of asparagus, rather than their more spindly siblings. They hold up well to all manner of cooking methods and taste delicious.

Ingredients

One large bunch fat asparagus stalks, about 16 (see note)

One fresh burrata cheese ball, about 300 grams

¼ cup olive oil, more for drizzling

Zest of two lemons, divided, plus 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon poppyseeds

½ teaspoon fennel pollen or ground fennel

1 tablespoon honey vinegar or rice vinegar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Prepare the asparagus. Trim the woody ends off and peel the asparagus stalks from about an inch below the head right to the end. Set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to boil (the water should taste like the sea). While the water comes to a boil, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl or clean sink. When the water is briskly boiling, gently put the asparagus in and blanch for two minutes.

3. Using tongs, remove the asparagus and place it into the ice bath for at least 5 minutes. This will stop the cooking processes and preserve the colour. Drain and dry on paper towels. Cut the stalks in half. Set aside.

4. Prepare the dressing. Combine the olive oil, zest of one lemon, lemon juice, poppyseeds, fennel pollen, vinegar and salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

5. Assemble the dish. Place the burrata in a small shallow casserole dish, and gently tear apart into two pieces with your hands. Arrange the asparagus on the cheese, pour the dressing over the dish, and drizzle with a touch more olive oil. Sprinkle the remaining lemon zest over the asparagus and serve.