Great as a starter or just as an indulgence when the new asparagus season is in full flow - can't wait!

Ingredients

• First make some short pastry tartlet cases:
  • 115g flour
  • 50g butter
  • Pinch salt
  • water

Make the tartlet bases bite sized and reasonably thin. If you can't be bothered, you can buy them ready made from gourmet food outlets

• 450g very thin asparagus spears
• 115g Local West Country Brie cheese (Cornwall & Somerset are both delicious)
• 2 spring onions - thinly sliced (or a handful of chives)
• 1 teaspoon of dried tarragon
• 1 tablespoon water

Method

1. Hold the base of the asparagus firmly and gently bend - the end will break off where it becomes too tough to use.  Discard tough ends
2. Trim tips to 5cm long and set aside for garnish
3. Thinly slice rest of stem (½cm wide)
4. Cut Brie into 1cm cubes
5. Combine Brie, thinly sliced asparagus, onions and tarragon in a bowl.
6. Microwave, covered for 2½mins, until Brie is just beginning to melt. This can be done in a pan on stove if necessary - don't let it overheat
7. Spoon into tartlet cases
8. Place a couple of asparagus tips as garnish on top and pop under a very hot grill until cheese bubbles.