Asparagus and new potatoes with coriander pesto

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 02:33:01 GMT

Step 1

1Scrub the potatoes and cook them in a steamer basket over boiling water, or boil them in deep, lightly salted water until tender to the point of a knife – about 10-15 minutes, but test them regularly. Trim the asparagus and cook it in deep, lightly salted boiling water. The exact timing will depend on the thickness and freshness of the spears, but start testing after 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 2

Halve the chillies lengthways, remove the stalks and seeds, then put the pods in the bowl of a processor. Remove the basil leaves from their stems and put the leaves, together with the parsley leaves and both coriander leaves and stems into the processor bowl, too.

Step 3

Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice, adding 2 tbsp to the herbs. Process for a few seconds until everything is finely chopped, then introduce the olive oil in a steady stream until you have a bright green, thickish paste. With the machine still running, pour in the water. It should be thin enough to lightly coat the cooked vegetables. Adjust the dressing to taste with salt, more of the lemon juice or perhaps a tiny pinch of sugar. The dressing should be punchy and taste vividly of coriander.

Step 4

Drain the asparagus and potatoes. Cut the asparagus into 5-6cm lengths. Cut the potatoes into thick slices. Toss both potatoes and asparagus while still warm with the dressing. Transfer to a serving dish, perhaps with a few crisp salad leaves if you wish.

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