Poached Egg & Braised Asparagus

Local spring asparagus have been hard to come by in my neck of the woods.  After speaking with my favorite Montauk fish monger (who stocks great local produce), I learned that the rainy weather diminished the supply and many farmers barely have enough to supply their own farm stands. If you see any stalks, snap them up.  And while you are at it, grab eggs and Parmesan cheese to whip up this elegant little lunch. 

The simplicity of today's recipe is spot-on, because the nuttiness of the asparagus really shines through. Equally as nice for a dish-washing detester like me, is re-using the same pan to poach the eggs. There is no such thing as too many poached eggs in my book, so I am certain to be exploiting the technique for years.

My summer CSA delivery starts tomorrow which means I'll be blogging regularly again soon. Yippee! Until then, enjoy a few shots taken with my fancy new SLR lens. I have heaps to learn, but am really hoping to up the quality of my #foodphotography. 

Braised Asparagus with a Poached Egg

Courtesy of Food & Wine and Gwyneth Paltrow 

Ingredients  

• 1 bunch of asparagus, ends snapped off*
• 1 tablespoon of butter 
• 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 
• 2 eggs
• Water 
• Salt & pepper  

*There is a "to snap or not" asparagus debate out there, but I'm partial to the snapping simply because it is fun! 

Directions

• Preheat the broiler on high.
• Fill a large deep skillet with salted water, bring to a boil and blanch the asparagus until tender, about 3 minutes. Leaving the water in the skillet, transfer the asparagus to a paper towel–lined plate and pat dry.
• Arrange the asparagus in single layer in a pan, brush with butter, season with salt and pepper, and top with the cheese.
• Broil 6 inches from the heat until golden, about 1 minute.
• Meanwhile, bring the asparagus blanching liquid to a simmer. Crack the eggs into a glass, then, after swirling the water into a circle, swiftly pour them into the simmering water.
• Cook until whites set, but the yolks are runny (3 ~ 4 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, remove each egg and blot dry.  Top with a sprinkle of salt & pepper, and serve on top of the asparagus. 

About Asparagus 
High in fiber, vitamin B and calcium, Asparagus are a flowering and hearty perennial plant.  If you are considering a home garden (more on that later!), these nutrient-dense fellows are known to re-produce for up to 15 years without replanting.