A couple of nice Bass and a plate of asparagus soup

It was a fantastic weekend, with the weather up into the high 20's (centigrade that is). Linda was  quite late getting in and I had made a Spaghetti (it was actually Linguine) Vongole. So a nice gin and bitter lemon and a bottle of cold "pink wine" we settled down to watch the recording of master chef that Linda had brought, neither of us saw the end and that will have to wait until later.

Saturday was a wonderful day sun was up and the weather looked as if it was going to be nice (and it didn't fail our great  expectations, who the Dickens said that?)

We set off to Gütersloh market, our normal Saturday when Linda is in NRW is we go to the market and then meet up with our friend Tony for a couple of beers in our watering hole (well I have the beers and the other two light weights drink something that sounds like Cafe latti mucky arti!!!) This week Tony wasn't able to make it so we done a quick shop at the market, I bought a couple of nice Bass and some spargel brück (asparagus stems that have broken during the harvesting) ideal for Asparagus cream soup. I also bought some fresh green asparagus as Linda said she fancied some grilled asparagus.

I then took Linda through the Rietberg Nature Reserve, loads of breeding geese both grey lagged and Canada. We then went (I say we as Linda had nodded off  and woke up to where are we now!!!)

We had arrived at the other part of Rheda-Wiedenbrück, we went to a very nice pub (La Menge) and sat in the sunshine and watched the world go by.

Linda said she fancied an ice cream  so I said we shall go to Toledo's  this is a very nice ice cafe at the side of the Ems-see. As she  stood on the bridge eating her ice I looked across and saw a Great Crested Grebe sitting on the nest. I had left my camera back in the car, so I legged it back and got it. I then got some very nice photo's of the female sitting the male bringing her a present of water plants and of three eggs in the nest.

We then drove back home as I had some lamb chops that needed marinating, as we had decided on a BBQ that evening, so it was more gin and bitter Lemon while doing the prep. 

After the BBQ we settled down to watch the Bobby Charlton story, that was really moving as I was 10 year old  when the Munich  crash happened, I was also born in a mining village much like Ashington it was only 30km North of Shiremoor. I was a great fan of his uncle, Jackie Milburn, for me the greatest footballer of all time.  I watched enthralled and when ever the flash backs came on about playing football on the village green on a Sunday, that how it was, we started after Church, went in when dinner was called (Wor Richaaaaard ya dinners ready) out again until it was time for tea, alas for me that was it as I was a server in St Marks church and Evensong started at 18:00. But that was how life was in the 50's nobody had a lot but we had a great time enjoying the lot that we had!

Sunday was a lazy day, I done my Balcony, scrubbed the floor tiles and planted my herb boxes and pots (I don't plant anything that you can't eat so I leave flowers to my down stairs neighbour who keep the front garden immaculate, rhododendrons, roses and tulips.

I then started making my Asparagus soup and preparing the bass for the grill (I was doing them on the electric one as they where being done in aluminium foil.

Asparagus and green pea soup.

1kg of broken asparagus (brückspargel)

Peelings and cuttings from 1 Kg of Asparagus

2 heaped teas spoons of marigold  veg stock powder

1 glass of chicken stock with pieces of chicken

2 pieces on Mace

4 cloves

4 cardamom pods

2 cm piece of cinnamon bark

5 dried curry leaves

6-7 sprigs of dried thyme

2 red onions (diced)

A knob of butter

100g of frozen peas

200ml of cream


Peel the asparagus and cut into small pieces (save any tips for decoration). put in a pot with the vegetable and chicken stock, add the mace, cloves, cinnamon, curry leaves dried thyme.

Cover all with water and bring to the boil, skim,  reduce heat and let it simmer for about 1/2 hour. then remove the peelings and the rest of the stuff (I have a nice Ikea pot that has a holed insert, makes this very easy).

Now add the pieces of peeled asparagus into the stock and cook until tender, put 50g of the peas in for the last couple of minutes.

Soften the onions in butter and add to the asparagus, now blend in a blender or with a magic stick until smooth , return to the pot and heat through with the asparagus tips and the remainder of the peas, add the cream and adjust the seasoning. Serve piping hot.

The Bass

2 x 500g  fresh bass, gutted, trimmed and cleaned.

2 slices of lemon

A handful of mixed herbs (sage, rosemary, oregano, thyme and parsley)

Olive oil

A sprinkling of ready made fish spices

Wash and dry the fish, slash it in a few places,season inside and out add the herbs to the belly with the slice of lemon. Sprinkle with olive oil and seal in the aluminium foil.

Place on the grill for about 20mins.

Serve with green asparagus sautéed in olive oil in a frying pan (or better still if you are doing this on a charcoal BBQ rub all over with olive oil and char grill) served with grilled Turkish sweet green peppers, new potatoes and a Greek salad.