This seasonal recipe (blink and you'll miss the chance to make it) takes advantage of green garlic's milder, fresher flavour than its grown-up version. Serves 2 - but easy to scale up to bigger quantities.

Ingredients

150g pasta

15g butter

1 stem green garlic, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

100ml double cream

1/2 bunch asparagus, thinly sliced (on the bias if you're feeling fancy)

Method

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the pasta. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add the green garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook on a very low heat, stirring occasionally, until the green garlic is tender but not browned, about 10 minutes.

Add the cream to the garlic and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer.

Add the sliced asparagus to the pasta pan.  

When the green garlic is completely tender and the flavours have infused the cream, which should take about 5 minutes, taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.

Drain the pasta and asparagus, reserving the cooking liquid. Add 100ml of the cooking liquid to the cream sauce and stir, then pour over the pasta and serve.