Hello online friends! I’m very excited to share this new asparagus recipe with you! In this post I will show you how to cook asparagus, how to grill it and how to make this fairly healthy recipe.
What is asparagus?
Asparagus is a long vegetable that grows in the soil. The asaragus season in Europe is typically during April and May.
There are several varieties and they are usually categorized by colour. You find them in white, green and purple. The most famous one is the white asparagus, but I personally love green asparagus and use it for this recipe.
Traditional recipes vs. mine
Most traditional recipes serve asparagus with eggs, ham and hollandaise sauce, or something similar. It’s nice, except for the ham, but I often find it a bit too greasy. That’s why I came up with this healthier, lower fat version.
Instead of hollandaise sauce, which is usually made with butter, egg yolks and lemon, I made a spinach sauce. I blended spinach with vegetable stock, all purpose flour and milk until smooth, then strained it and added it to a small saucepan. I reheated it just before serving to thicken the sauce.
I’m serving this recipe with trout caviar. It’s a budget friendly option that adds a nice flavour to the dish without making it too fishy.
Do you need to peel asparagus?
No, you don’t need to peel green asparagus. I do recommend washing it with clean water to remove any dirt.
Do you need to cut off the ends?
Yes, the ends tend to dry out where they were cut. The fresher the asparagus, the less you need to remove. The dry ends are usually too chewy and not very pleasant to eat.
There isn’t an exact measurement, but it’s usually somewhere between 0.5 cm (1/4″) and 2 cm (3/4″). You can feel with your knife where the stalk becomes tender, and you can also check the cut surface as you cut. If it looks moist, it’s good. If it looks dry, cut a bit more.
You can also use your hands and snap the asparagus. It will naturally break at the right point, and you will notice when it becomes easy to snap.
How to cook asparagus
There are several ways to cook asparagus. Some people sauté it in a frying pan, others boil it, and some roast it in the oven. I like to cook it briefly, about 3 to 4 minutes in a pan, and then finish it in a grill pan on high heat. This gives it a slightly roasted flavour that works really well with the other ingredients.
Vegetarian option
You can make this recipe vegetarian by leaving out the caviar.
Plating
Hope you like this recipe as much as I do! Click here for more recipes. Love caviar? Check out my caviar crostini snack here.
Green Grilled Asparagus with Poached Eggs and Spinach Sauce
Adjust servings here:
Equipment
- Hand blender
- sauce pan
- cooking pot
- Sieve
- strainer
- grill pan
Ingredients
- 500 grams green asparagus
- olive oil (optional)
SPINACH SAUCE
- 100 grams spinach
- 250 ml vegetable stock
- 60 ml milk (1)
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
MASHED POTATOES
- 300 grams potatoes
- 125 ml milk (2)
- 15 grams butter
- 1 tbsp mustard
- salt
POACHED EGGS
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
TOPPING
- 2 tsp trout caviar
- sesame seeds black/white
Instructions
MASHED POTATOES
- Peel the potatoes. Chop them into smaller pieces and add them to a pot. Cover with water, add salt and boil them for 15 minutes.
SPINACH SAUCE
- Make the spinach sauce. Wash the spinach and add it to a blender or use a hand blender. Add vegetable stock, all purpose flour and milk. Blend until smooth.
- Strain the sauce through a fine sieve by pressing it through. Discard the larger spinach pieces and add the smooth sauce to a saucepan. Place the saucepan on the stove, but do not heat it yet.
ASPARAGUS
- Wash the asparagus and chop off the ends.
- Add water to a large pot and bring to boil. Make sure there is enough water to fully cover the asparagus. Add the asparagus and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, 3 minutes for thin asparagus, 4 minutes for thick.
- Add the asparagus and cook for 3-4 minutes. (Thin asparagus 3, thick 4 minutes). Use tongs to transfer them to a plate.
POACHED EGGS
- Boil a pot of water.
- Crack the eggs one by one. Strain each egg through a fine sieve or strainer to remove the loose egg whites, then transfer to a small bowl.
- Add a splash of vinegar to the water and reduce the heat to low.
- Use a spoon to create a gentle whirlpool, keep the movement slow, not too fast.
- Bring the bowl close to the water and carefully slide the egg into the center of the whirlpool. Cook for about 3 minutes, or 4 minutes if you want the egg slightly more cooked through.
SPINACH SAUCE (part II)
- Meanwhile, heat the spinach sauce until it starts to simmer. Keep it on low heat and whisk as it thickens. Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of flour at a time if it is still too runny. Turn off the heat.
EGGS (part II)
- Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon. Rinse them briefly under water to stop the cooking process.
ASPARAGUS (part II)
- Heat a grill pan over high heat. Add the asparagus and sear until grill marks appear on all sides.
PLATING
- Use a spoon to add the mashed potatoes on a plate. Make a circle.
- Lay the asparagus on top, positioning them opposite each other.
- Place the eggs on top of the asparagus.
- Use a spoon to add the spinach sauce over the eggs and asparagus.
- Finish with caviar on top of the spinach sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Enjoy!
