HARD ON THE HEELS OF PEA SEASON COME ASPARAGUS, THE NEXT HARBINGER OF SPRING. THEY'RE ON SALE IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES, FROM PENCIL-THIN SPEARS TO THUMB-THICK STALKS. I PREFER THE LATTER, THOUGH THEY REQUIRE MORE PREPARATION SINCE THE FORMER CAN BE BENT LIKE BOWS UNTIL THEY SNAP. EVERYTHING FROM TIPS DOWN TO BREAK ARE EDIBLE. WITH THEIR MORE MUSCULAR COUSINS, HOWEVER, SNAPPING THEM MEANS WASTING A LOT OF THE EDIBLE STALK. SO I TRIM THE VERY TOUGH BOTTOMS AND PEEL THE STALKS, STARTING JUST BELOW THE BUDDING TIPS. I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF GRILLING THEM BECAUSE THE CHAR OVERWHELMS THEIR ASSERTIVE YET DELICATE FLAVOR. I POACH THEM IN SALTED WATER UNTIL BARELY TENDER, PLUNGE THEM IN COLD WATER TO STOP THE COOKING AND ROLL THEM IN A KITCHEN TOWEL TILL READY TO SERVE. OFTEN I JUST DRESS THEM WITH LEMON JUICE, OLIVE OIL AND FRESH HERBS. BUT IF YOU WANT A MORE SUBSTANTIAL RECIPE, THIS IS THE ONE FOR YOU: A MUSTARD-TINGED VINAIGRETTE, A POACHED EGG AND HOME-MADE BREADCRUMBS. THESE ASPARAGUS ARE A MEAL IN ITSELF.
TRIM OFF ABOUT AN INCH OF THE ASPARAGUS. LAYING THEM FLAT, LIGHTLY PEEL STARTING JUST BELOW THE BUDDING TIPS.
FILL A LARGE SHALLOW, STEEP-SIDE PAN WITH WATER AND BRING TO A BOIL. SALT GENEROUSLY. LAY IN THE ASPARAGUS. MEANWHILE, FILL YOUR SINK WITH COLD WATER.
BOIL THE ASPARAGUS FOR LESS THAN 5 MINUTES, TESTING FREQUENTLY, UNTIL A FORK BARELY PIERCES THEM. (BETTER UNDER THAN OVER-COOKED.). DRAIN IMMEDIATELY AND PUT IN THE SINK OF COLD WATER.
AS SOON AS THEY COOL DOWN, REMOVE FROM THE WATER OR THEY WILL BEGIN TO LOSE THEIR FLAVOR. ROLL ASPARAGUS IN A KITCHEN TOWEL AND SET ASIDE. DO NOT REFRIGERATE.
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE, PUT A PINCH OF SALT AND A FEW GRINDINGS OF PEPPER IN A BOWL. PEEL AND MINCE THE SHALLOT AND MIX WITH THE SALT AND PEPPER. ALLOW TO SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN ADD THE MUSTARD, THE JUICE OF HALF A LEMON AND A TBSP OF VINEGAR. MIX TOGETHER, THEN WHISK IN ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF OLIVE OIL IN A THIN STREAM UNTIL THE VINAIGRETTE THICKENS.
BRING A SMALL SAUCEPAN OF WATER TO A BOIL, REDUCE TO A SIMMER. POUR IN 3TBSPS OF WHITE DISTILLED VINEGAR. BREAK EACH EGG INTO A SMALL BOWL. CREATE A WHIRLPOOL WITH A SLOTTED SPOON AND GENTLY POUR THE EGG INTO THE CENTER.
POACH FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE WHITES ARE SET. REMOVE WITH A SLOTTED SPOON AND LOWER INTO A BOWL OF COLD WATER. THEY'LL KEEP THAT WAY TILL YOU SERVE THE ASPARAGUS.
FOR THE BREADCRUMBS USE STALE FRENCH BREAD OR CUT UP A BAGUETTE AND BAKE IN A 200º OVEN FOR 20 MINUTES TILL THE BREAD IS COMPLETELY DRIED OUT. PLACE BREAD PIECES ON WORK SURFACE. USING A CAST-IRON OR ANY HEAVY FRYING PAN, CRUSH THE PIECES USING A ROCKING MOTION WITH YOUR HANDS. FOR THIS DISH, DON'T GRIND THEM TOO FINELY. (I MAKE A BATCH AND STORE THEM IN GLASS JARS.)
TO SERVE, DIVIDE THE ASPARAGUS ONTO 4 PLATES.
USING A SLOTTED SPOON, REMOVE EGGS FROM THE WATER AND DRAIN ON A SMALL SQUARE OF PAPER TOWELS. PLACE ON TOP OF THE ASPARAGUS. SPOON VINAIGRETTE OVER THE EGGS AND ASPARAGUS.
SCATTER WITH BREADCRUMBS AND FRESHLY-CHOPPED HERBS.
SERVES 4
Ingredients
Directions
TRIM OFF ABOUT AN INCH OF THE ASPARAGUS. LAYING THEM FLAT, LIGHTLY PEEL STARTING JUST BELOW THE BUDDING TIPS.
FILL A LARGE SHALLOW, STEEP-SIDE PAN WITH WATER AND BRING TO A BOIL. SALT GENEROUSLY. LAY IN THE ASPARAGUS. MEANWHILE, FILL YOUR SINK WITH COLD WATER.
BOIL THE ASPARAGUS FOR LESS THAN 5 MINUTES, TESTING FREQUENTLY, UNTIL A FORK BARELY PIERCES THEM. (BETTER UNDER THAN OVER-COOKED.). DRAIN IMMEDIATELY AND PUT IN THE SINK OF COLD WATER.
AS SOON AS THEY COOL DOWN, REMOVE FROM THE WATER OR THEY WILL BEGIN TO LOSE THEIR FLAVOR. ROLL ASPARAGUS IN A KITCHEN TOWEL AND SET ASIDE. DO NOT REFRIGERATE.
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE, PUT A PINCH OF SALT AND A FEW GRINDINGS OF PEPPER IN A BOWL. PEEL AND MINCE THE SHALLOT AND MIX WITH THE SALT AND PEPPER. ALLOW TO SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN ADD THE MUSTARD, THE JUICE OF HALF A LEMON AND A TBSP OF VINEGAR. MIX TOGETHER, THEN WHISK IN ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF OLIVE OIL IN A THIN STREAM UNTIL THE VINAIGRETTE THICKENS.
BRING A SMALL SAUCEPAN OF WATER TO A BOIL, REDUCE TO A SIMMER. POUR IN 3TBSPS OF WHITE DISTILLED VINEGAR. BREAK EACH EGG INTO A SMALL BOWL. CREATE A WHIRLPOOL WITH A SLOTTED SPOON AND GENTLY POUR THE EGG INTO THE CENTER.
POACH FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE WHITES ARE SET. REMOVE WITH A SLOTTED SPOON AND LOWER INTO A BOWL OF COLD WATER. THEY'LL KEEP THAT WAY TILL YOU SERVE THE ASPARAGUS.
FOR THE BREADCRUMBS USE STALE FRENCH BREAD OR CUT UP A BAGUETTE AND BAKE IN A 200º OVEN FOR 20 MINUTES TILL THE BREAD IS COMPLETELY DRIED OUT. PLACE BREAD PIECES ON WORK SURFACE. USING A CAST-IRON OR ANY HEAVY FRYING PAN, CRUSH THE PIECES USING A ROCKING MOTION WITH YOUR HANDS. FOR THIS DISH, DON'T GRIND THEM TOO FINELY. (I MAKE A BATCH AND STORE THEM IN GLASS JARS.)
TO SERVE, DIVIDE THE ASPARAGUS ONTO 4 PLATES.
USING A SLOTTED SPOON, REMOVE EGGS FROM THE WATER AND DRAIN ON A SMALL SQUARE OF PAPER TOWELS. PLACE ON TOP OF THE ASPARAGUS. SPOON VINAIGRETTE OVER THE EGGS AND ASPARAGUS.
SCATTER WITH BREADCRUMBS AND FRESHLY-CHOPPED HERBS.
SERVES 4
