Asparagus Fries With Lemon Aioli

Start by making the aioli, the easiest way to do this is using a stick blender and a tall, narrow container. Add the egg yolks and mustard to the container, then grate in the garlic, the zest of half the lemon and all of its juice, add a generous few twists of pepper, a tsp of salt and finally pour over the sunflower oil.

Put the stick blender against the bottom of the container and then slowly lift it up as you blend until the whole mix is creamy and emulsified.

Trim the woody ends from your asparagus and set aside. Place a large frying pan over a medium heat and add enough oil to cover the pan about 0.5cm deep.

Make the batter by whisking the flour and cold sparkling water in a mixing bowl with a big pinch of salt (you don’t need to whisk until totally smooth).

Swirl the asparagus in the batter and coat well all over, then carefully lay it straight into the hot oil. It should sizzle nicely. Drizzle a little extra batter over for a more crunchy coating.

Cook for about 2 mins, then flip and cook the other side for another minute or so until the batter is golden and crunchy. They will stick together but that's okay, just use a fork or spatula to gently separate the spears.

Remove from the oil onto a wire rack or a plate lined with kitchen paper and sprinkle with flaky salt. Repeat until all of the asparagus is cooked.

Plate up with a generous dollop of the aioli and a few twists of black pepper.