Over a decade since opening, TOZI Victoria, remains in the hands of its original team, led by Chef Maurilio Molteni, whose passion and precision continue to shape its soul.
This spring, he’s turning the spotlight on British asparagus, transforming the seasonal star into rich stocks, bold pastas and inventive dishes.
Below, he shares his thoughts on how to make the most of this versatile ingredient both in professional kitchens and at home.
Is there anything you do with the ends of your asparagus to reduce wood waste?
With the asparagus ends I usually do a stock that we use as a base to make asparagus soup, to cook an asparagus risotto and even some pasta dishes. You get 100% more flavour and no waste.
How do you ensure asparagus remains the hero ingredient in your spring menus?
Asparagus are very versatile and can be used in different dishes or even served by themselves. At TOZI we make a lovely salad with chargrilled asparagus, quail eggs and black truffle, also the rustichelle pasta with asparagus, peas and pecorino cheese. As a special we also serve them on their own with brown butter and parmesan, or an asparagus and summer black truffle risotto.
Are there any techniques or traditions you follow when sourcing or preparing asparagus?
Always use the best in season, British asparagus are top, but the season is not very long, Italian is also very good. If you blanch them, always in boiling salted water and as soon as they are cooked (al dente) refresh them in ice water so you keep the colour, texture and flavour.
Have you seen any changes in customer tastes or demand around asparagus in recent seasons?
I noticed that customers appreciate asparagus more, they have become popular and you find them in a lot of restaurants and even pub menus. Healthy, very versatile and full of flavour, people love them in pasta, salads, as a garnish for fish or meat and even on their own.
Can you share a creative or unexpected way you’ve used asparagus in your kitchen?
Once I deep-fried them in a light batter and served them with a black truffle mayo, the combination is amazing, and the texture is fantastic. Enjoy it with a glass of bubbles.
Do you recall a standout dish involving asparagus that left a lasting impression on guests?
One of the TOZI’s favourites as a special is the hand cut tagliolini with asparagus and black truffle. We cut the asparagus thinly and we sauté them with a bit of garlic and butter, add some asparagus stock and when the pasta is cooked, we toss it in the sauce adding some grated parmesan and shaving of black truffle, it’s just amazing, simple but so tasty.
What advice would you give home cooks trying to get the most out of their seasonal asparagus?
Just make sure you do not play with them too much, don’t overcooked them otherwise you will lose texture and flavour. If they are quite thick just use a peeler and delicately peel them halfway down, so they will cook faster, be more tender and you will not have much waste.
TOZI Restaurant & Bar, Victoria
8 Gillingham Street, Pimlico, London SW1V 1HJ
@tozirestaurant
