Watching decent-sized asparagus spears shoot up after waiting several years is a quite a thrill.

To grow them you need a soil temperature of at least 16 degrees Celsius, a soil pH of 6.5-7.5 and oodles of rotted manure and compost. Then there's the giant leafy ferns (covered in bright- red poisonous berries) that must be dealt with in autumn.

These days I just waltz away from the supermarket, bundles to hand, heady with the ease of it all.

For sheer eating pleasure, just steam stalks for 3-5 minutes, depending on thickness, then drench with melted butter or hollandaise sauce and eat with the fingers. Messy fun! Kids love it!

Classic hollandaise is tricky so here's a quickie. Put 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 3 egg yolks into a food processor and blend for 10-12 seconds.

With the motor running, pour about 150g of hot melted butter through the feeder tube in a slow but steady stream until the mixture thickens nicely. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. For a touch of luxury, top the spears with poached eggs before adding the sauce.

Another simple treat is dipping "sparrow-grass" soldiers into soft-boiled eggs.

As well as butter, lemon juice and eggs, this shy vegetable goes well with artichokes, broad beans, leeks, mushrooms, potatoes, cheese, cream, mayonnaise, mint, tarragon, thyme, chives, capers, bacon, ham, pancetta and smoked salmon.

You can steam it, grill it, roast it, crumb it, stir-fry it, pop it on a pizza or make it into a creamy soup or risotto. Add it to omelettes, frittatas, stacks, quiches, crpes, souffls, sauces, salads and pasta and rice dishes.

A great starter is blanched asparagus with dips. To blanch, pop trimmed stalks into boiling water, simmer for 1 minute, drain and allow to cool. Have ready some moreish dips, such as a good mayo with fresh herbs, smoked salmon with creme fraiche and chives, or light soy sauce mixed with a few drops of sesame oil.

For a teen snack-attack, whip up easy-cheesy asparagus and bacon. Make a gutsy cheese sauce and pour it over chopped cooked stalks combined with crisp bacon pieces. Serve on toast (browning under the grill is optional) and finish with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.

Today's recipe takes a little practice - speed is of the essence - but the result is heaven on a plate. You will need a friend to enjoy it with because the omelette only serves 2. The outside should be firm and crusty and the inside warm and creamy.

Makes a great lunch with a green salad, some crusty bread and cheese, and a glass of wine.

ASPARAGUS OMELETTE (serves 2)

200g fresh asparagus tips

2 heaped Tbsp grated gruyre or tasty cheese

3 tsp butter

4 eggs

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 heaped Tbsp finely chopped parsley and chives

Steam asparagus over boiling water until just tender. Transfer to a shallow dish, sprinkle with cheese, cover and keep warm. Place a medium-sized frying pan over a medium heat and add butter. Beat eggs with herbs and season with salt and pepper. When butter foams, swirl it around to cover base and pour egg mixture into pan. Allow mixture to brown a little underneath (lift edge with spatula to test). Pile asparagus across the centre, which should still be moist. Fold omelette in half, cut in half and slide halves on to warmed plates. Serve at once. Cook's tips You will need about 500g of asparagus to obtain 200g of tips. Use the remainder in quiches, soup etc. When buying, choose upright bunches - no droopy tips - of similar-sized spears for even cooking. Do not peel, but do cut off any woody, wrinkled or dried ends.

- The Southland Times

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