WELL, it’s been lovely weather recently and I must say my herb patch is now looking resplendent in the sunshine.

Already there are a few plants that have decided the frosty weather is over and made a run for it.

The oregano and marjoram is already unfurling in great lime-green swathes, the mew (my very favourite wild plant of which I have a few ‘domesticated’ sprigs) is bushy and bouncy and the sorrel is so happy it’s practically bolted already. I’m going to pair that with a leg of lamb this weekend.

Lamb and sorrel are perhaps one of the best combinations around at this time of year. The unique delicate flavour of spring lamb is perfect with the citrussy hit that sorrel gives. Later in the year is when the older, tastier lamb starts to nuzzle up to the more dominant flavours of garlic, rosemary and thyme.

This lovely spate of unseasonably warm weather we’ve had of late has precipitated one of the most joyous yet short-lived food seasons we have in the UK.

Yes, folks, it’s officially time to get excited about asparagus. British asparagus, mind, not the tasteless green sticks from Mexico or Guatemala. No, this is the time of year when our very own treasure trove of iridescent, emerald spears shoot forth from the fertile soils of Dorset, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Kent (among many others, of course) and beg to be snipped.

Asparagus is a wonderful thing. It has a flavour all its own, definitely vegetable-y, but with a strangely delicate pungency. It’s a weird thing to pin down. Upon crunching a spear, one definitely knows what it is, yet the flavour is somehow ethereal, ghostly and fleeting. It breezes across the palate. Hard to describe. Clean and crisp. And as such, we must be careful what we do with our asparagus. No chilli dipping sauces for this chap and I’d even be careful about letting garlic get in on the action.

No, asparagus does its best work with the paler, equally light flavours. Mushrooms, white meat, seafood, eggs, butter. These are the friends of the asparagus spear, just nudging everything the right way without being brusque or overbearing.

So this week, we’re making a slightly re-mixed version of the absolute classic asparagus dish – steamed spears with a poached egg. To this we’re adding a couple of outside influences.

Eggs and bread go so well together, so I thought maybe we’d sprinkle the asparagus with a liberal handful of crunchy fried breadcrumbs and instead of a classic Hollandaise (something I always like with my asparagus) I thought we’d have a go at the classic Greek sauce, avgolemono.

It’s a very rough equivalent of the classic French sauce, adding a rich, lemony creaminess but crucially without the weight of any butter. With the fat from the crumbs and the richness of the egg, this dish will benefit from a little restraint. Still a very simple plateful, then, and incredibly easy to prepare.