The English asparagus season officially starts on 1st May, but depending on the weather can start as early as mid-April. The harvest lasts for approximately 6 weeks, until mid-June. To enjoy asparagus at its best, eat it as fresh as possible, and keep it simple - it's hard to improve on lightly boiling it and serving it with melted butter but you could try the following recipes:

Grilled Asparagus with Pancetta
Par-boil the asparagus for 2 minutes. Drain and immerse in cold water to stop it cooking. Wrap thinly-sliced pancetta around the stems of the asparagus, leaving the tips sticking out. Brush with olive oil and grill on a Ridged Grill-Pan until the pancetta is crispy and serve with a garlicky mayonaise.

Asparagus with Tarragon Vinaigrette
For the vinaigrette:
300ml extra virgin olive oil
50ml white wine vinegar
juice of ½ lemon
½ teaspoon sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
small bunch of tarragon
1 crushed garlic clove

Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt and black pepper. Slowly add the olive oil. When the mixture is fully emulsified, add the tarragon and garlic. Lightly boil the asparagus. Arrange on a plate and pour over the vinaigrette.