This wild asparagus recipe is inspired by Jamie Oliver's early work — simple, honest cooking that lets good ingredients speak for themselves. Griddled, dressed with Parmesan shavings, good olive oil, and aged balsamic, it's ready in ten minutes.

Paco handed me a bunch of wild asparagus over the fence one morning. Just like that — no explanation needed, no recipe required. This is what happens in a village of 742 people.

Wild asparagus is thinner, more intensely flavoured, and slightly more bitter than the cultivated variety. It grows in the scrubland around Monte Lope Álvarez and appears briefly in spring. When Paco offers you some, you take it. This wild asparagus recipe is what I did with it.

I made this on the roof terrace at Casa Adora — 360-degree views of the olive groves, a glass of chilled white wine, and a dish that took about ten minutes. The inspiration was Jamie Oliver's early work — simple, honest cooking that lets good ingredients speak for themselves. Nothing more than a griddle, some Parmesan, good olive oil, and a decent balsamic.

Wild asparagus from Paco – roof terrace at Casa Adora

Wild Asparagus with Parmesan and Balsamic — Ingredients

• 1 bunch wild asparagus, woody ends snapped off
• A good handful of Parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler
• 2–3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1–2 tsp good balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Jamie Oliver Inspired Wild Asparagus Recipe — The Method

1. Snap the woody ends from the asparagus — they'll break naturally at the right point. Rinse and pat dry.
2. Heat a griddle pan until hot. Toss the asparagus in a little olive oil and season with black pepper. Griddle for 3–4 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender and lightly charred.
3. Lay the asparagus on a warm plate. Drizzle generously with the remaining olive oil and the balsamic vinegar.
4. Scatter the Parmesan shavings over the top. Season with sea salt.
5. Serve immediately — this is a starter, not a dish that waits.

The dressing and the dish – Casa Adora

A Few Notes from the Casa Adora Kitchen

The asparagus: Wild asparagus is thinner and more intensely flavoured than the cultivated variety — and considerably more bitter. If you can't find wild, thin cultivated asparagus works well. The cooking time is the same.

The balsamic: Use a good one. A cheap balsamic is too sharp and too thin — it needs the syrupy depth of something aged. A little goes a long way.

The Parmesan: Shave it with a vegetable peeler directly over the plate. Thick shavings, not fine grating — you want pieces that melt slightly against the warm asparagus.

The occasion: This works as a starter for guests or a solo lunch on a warm day. On the roof terrace at Casa Adora, with a glass of something cold and the olive groves in every direction, it's hard to improve on.

If you'd rather put wild asparagus into a tart than serve it simply on its own, my Roasted Cherry Tomato Tart with Balsamic Onions & Wild Asparagus is worth a look.

If you fancy asparagus alongside pimientos de Padrón and feta instead, my Simple Supper, No Need for Salt is a proper roof-terrace supper.

This wild asparagus recipe is part of my Veg, Fruit & Pulses collection. Wonky photos, proper produce, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef