English asparagus has a very short season, usually from the beginning of April to the end of June, weather dependant, and when it arrives it sends the food world into frenzy. It’s difficult to pinpoint the flavour of this delicious vegetable but we would describe it as the flavours of spring in a stem!
Asparagus and eggs are a classic partnership and here we use free-range eggs, softly boiled so the yolk mollifies with the, sweet-sharpness of the vinegar and the smoky juices of the grilled asparagus. A fresh, creamy goats curd or soft goats cheese finishes the dish.
20 thick spears of asparagus (5 spears or about 120g per portion)
4 free range eggs
150g goats curd, or soft fresh goats cheese
2 tblsp sherry vinegar
2 tblsp of extra virgin olive oil
Olive oil for cooking
Sea salt and black pepper
Heat a grill pan or barbeque to a high heat.
Take your asparagus spears and trim the ends with a knife. Check the stems to see if they are fresh and crisp, is so you won’t need to prepare them further. If they are woody or dry trim the stalks a little further up and gently peel the stems.
Place the asparagus in a bowl and drizzle with some olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss through. Cook the eggs in boiling salted water for 6.5 mins.
Drain the eggs and then run them under cold water for a minute to arrest the cooking process. When the eggs are cooled crack them carefully all over and peel them under cold running water. Lay the asparagus on the grill and cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until the spears are lightly charred.
Transfer the spears to a bowl and sprinkle on the sherry vinegar and the extra virgin olive oil and toss through. You can now divide the asparagus between your serving plates and break over the goat’s cheese. Cut the eggs through the middle and lay them on the asparagus.
Drizzle over the remaining vinaigrette and serve.
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