Asparagus Recipes

Asparagus Recipes

I've always loved Robert Frost's line about home being the place where, "when you have to go there, they have to take you in." Perhaps I'm putting an overly optimistic reading on it, but it's reassuring that even on our darkest nights, there is always a place with a light in the window. That's kind of the way I feel about having eggs in the refrigerator.
It doesn't matter how gruesome the workday has been or how late it is when I get home, give me a couple of eggs and some of this and that from the fridge and I know I can fix a meal that will not only get me through the night, it will even redeem the day.
One of my favorite late-night dinners is scrambled eggs. These aren't your typical diner eggs, though. They're more like the ones you get at great restaurants, cooked long and slow, often over a double boiler. The result is glorious — rich and creamy.
Several years ago I came up with a trick that makes them really easy to prepare at home. The secret is butter. Cold butter, specifically. The trick to getting that creamy texture in scrambled eggs is monitoring the heat really carefully.
The proteins in eggs begin to set at a relatively low temperature, about 150 degrees (that's roughly correct — the whites and yolks set at different temperatures). And once they start to set, they get very firm very quickly.
The way I get around that is to add just a little bit of cold butter to the eggs once you can them getting thick and see them looking creamy. Adding the cold butter moderates the temperature, keeping it just below the point at which the eggs will actually set.
Oh, and the butter also emulsifies into the eggs, making them absolutely delicious.
The eggs will be done when they have formed tiny, creamy curds.
Another favorite dinner is based on a recipe for eggs fried in bread crumbs that I learned from an old friend. They're even simpler to make than scrambled.
Put a generous handful of fresh bread crumbs in a small bowl. Stir in some chopped fresh thyme and just enough olive oil to moisten them nicely.
Cook the bread crumbs in a skillet over medium heat until they begin to toast. You'll see the color change from pale to light tan, and you'll also hear the change as the crumbs crisp and sizzle when you stir them.
Gather the crumbs into two low mounds that are as near to a single layer as you can manage, and then immediately crack an egg over each mound.
Cover the pan and, if necessary, adjust the heat so the eggs cook evenly without scorching around the edges. When the yolks are as firm as you like (they really should still be runny but thickened), transfer the eggs to a plate and quickly sizzle about a tablespoon of vinegar in the pan to free up any stuck crumbs or bit of eggs and pour that over the top.
These recipes, plus two more for a frittata and a spinach pie that uses eight eggs, are on Page 2E.
Asparagus With Bread Crumb-Fried Eggs
1/2to 3/4 lb. asparagus
Olive oil
Salt
1/4cup fresh bread crumbs
A few leaves fresh thyme
2 eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon red wine or sherry vinegar
Prepare the asparagus: If it is thin, simply cut off the bases. If it is thicker than a No. 2 pencil, cut off the bases and peel, starting at the tips with light pressure and gradually increasing the pressure as you work your way down the stalk until you're pressing quite firmly at the base.
In a tightly sealed pot over rapidly boiling water, steam the asparagus until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes for thin asparagus, 4 to 5 minutes for thick. Drain, pat dry, dress lightly with 1 tablespoon oil, season with a pinch of salt and keep warm.
Place the bread crumbs in a bowl. Season lightly with salt and thyme leaves and then add enough oil to generously coat, about 1 tablespoon.
Transfer the bread crumbs to a small nonstick skillet and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to darken. When they have fried enough that they feel dry when you stir them and make a dry, static-y sound, 2 to 3 minutes, divide them into 2 equal batches and pat to make a thin layer.

Crack the eggs over the bread crumbs. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, cover tightly and cook the eggs until they're as done as you like (they are best with the yolks left runny; if you prefer over-easy, you can flip them).
Divide the asparagus in half and arrange it on two warm plates. When the eggs are done, drape one egg over each asparagus bundle. Add the vinegar to the empty pan and let it sizzle for a moment before drizzling it over the eggs. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.
The Wichita Eagle—04/20/11
Creamy Scrambled Eggs With Fines Herbes
4 eggs
3/4teaspoon minced herbs, from a mixture of fresh tarragon, parsley, chives and/or chervil, divided
1/4teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes, divided
4 slices hot toasted and buttered baguette
Freshly ground black pepper
Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat briskly with a fork to break them up and homogenize them. There should be no trace of white remaining. Beat in half the fresh herb mixture and the salt and stir in about 1 tablespoon of the cubed butter.
Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. When it is warm, pour in the egg mixture and stir briskly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, scraping the bottom and sides to make sure the egg doesn't set too quickly. If you feel the cooking is too fast, remove the pan from the heat for a moment or two, stirring constantly, then return it.
After a couple of minutes, the butter will be melted and the eggs will have begun to thicken into a creamy sauce. Add the remaining cold butter in 2 or 3 portions, continuing to stir briskly. When the eggs are thick but not yet set, arrange the hot toast on warm plates.
The moment the eggs begin to set firmly (they will still be slightly creamy), spoon them over the toast, season with just a little black pepper and the remaining fresh herbs and serve immediately. These must be eaten hot to be appreciated fully. Makes 2 servings.
The Wichita Eagle—04/20/11
Frittata With Goat Cheese and Vegetables
2 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, sliced
1 pkg. (8 oz.) sliced mushrooms
3/4lb. asparagus, chopped
8 eggs
1/2teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 oz. goat cheese, in chunks
1 tablespoon minced parsley
Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Cook shallots until wilted, 2 minutes. Stir in mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove mushrooms from skillet with slotted spoon. Add asparagus to the skillet, adding more butter if necessary. Cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, 3 minutes. Remove asparagus. Wipe skillet clean with paper towel.
Heat broiler. Mix eggs, salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Return skillet to stove over low heat. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon of the butter; pour in the beaten eggs. Arrange the cooked vegetables over the eggs. Cover; cook until the eggs are set, 10-12 minutes. Crumble goat cheese over top; broil until cheese is lightly browned, 2 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Cut into wedges. Makes 4 servings.
The Wichita Eagle—04/20/11
Penelope's Spanakopita (Spinach Pie)
3 lbs. fresh spinach
1/3cup olive oil
1 bunch green onions, white part only, finely chopped
2 to 3 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh dill, stems removed, minced, or to taste
1/2cup minced parsley (optional)
8 eggs, beaten
1 lb. crumbled feta cheese
Salt
1/2pkg. ( 1/2lb.) phyllo pastry, thawed if frozen
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
Wash spinach, cut off stems, dry completely with paper towels and chop.
In large saute pan, heat oil. Brown both types of onions and the dill over medium-low heat until tender, watching closely to avoid burning. When about three-fourths browned, add spinach and cover pan to wilt spinach slightly.
Squeeze excess liquid out of spinach mixture and cool.
In large mixing bowl, combine cooled spinach mixture, parsley if using, beaten eggs and feta cheese. Season lightly with salt, mixing well.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush butter lightly over bottom and sides of 13-by-9-inch baking pan.
Lay down one sheet of phyllo and brush melted butter over top, then add two more sheets, brushing butter over each. Set pan with long side toward you, and lay down two more phyllo sheets on the left side, buttering between each sheet, and allowing half of each sheet to hang over side of pan. Repeat with two sheets on the right side of pan, buttering between each one and allowing half to hang over side of pan. (You should have used 7 sheets by this point.)
Spread spinach mixture over top, and then fold overhanging phyllo over filling. Top with remaining sheets of phyllo, brushing between each one with butter. Using knife, poke holes in top of phyllo and brush with remaining melted butter.
Bake in preheated oven about 20 minutes, then rotate pan so pie bakes evenly. Bake until browned on top, monitoring closely, about 40 to 45 minutes total.
Cool and cut into squares. Serve hot or cold, as an appetizer in small squares or as a vegetable side dish in larger squares. Makes 10 to 12 servings.