This past weekend was the first time we spotted asparagus at our local Farmers' Market and we were thrilled! We added two good looking bunches to our haul, already imagining how we would prepare them: for breakfast, with fried eggs, parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Prem’s preparation is simple and perfect. The combination of the fresh flavors tastes like spring in your mouth.
We also picked up a few beautiful looking tomatoes with grand plans to eat them with burrata. While that hasn’t happened yet, we have tossed the fresh tomatoes in an avocado and roasted eggplant salad with red onion, cilantro and goat cheese, and Prem’s parents, who are visiting from India, incorporated them into poha for breakfast. Poha is a flattened rice dish cooked with Indian spices such as mustard seeds and curry leaves, nuts and raisins, chili and tomatoes, and garnished with cilantro.
Another spring find at the Market were tulips, which unfortunately didn’t last too long.
What proof of the new season have you found at your Farmers' Market?
RECIPE: Asparagus & Egg with Lemon Zest & Parmesan Cheese
Ingredients per 1 serving:
- 5-6 asparagus stalks (more if they're on the thinner side), white bottoms cut off
- 2 Tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ½ small lemon, zested
- 1-2 eggs
- butter
- salt and pepper
To prepare:
- Blanch the asparagus: Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl and keep it nearby. Boil a pot of water on the stove. Add the asparagus and cook for 4 minutes, drain (or use tongs to remove from the water) and immediately move to the ice bath.
- Heat butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Once it’s just hot, add the blanched asparagus, a pinch of salt, freshly ground pepper and sauté for about two minutes or until turning golden, occasionally tossing. Plate the asparagus and sprinkle most of the cheese and lemon zest on top, reserving some for garnish.
- In the same pan, add a little more butter, turning the heat down to medium-low. Crack an egg (or two), cover, and let cook until egg whites are set and a bit crispy around the edges, but the yolk is still runny.
- Once egg is done, place it on top of the asparagus and garnish the whole dish with the rest of the cheese and zest. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Eat immediately.
On storing asparagus: We stick the stalks in a tall glass filled with enough water to cover the bottoms and keep them in the fridge. This keeps them fresh through the week.