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| Asparagus Recipes |
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.
Yet it seems like every time I mention eating eggs for dinner, I get met with a blank look — "Dude? You don't know those are for breakfast?" — or even worse, pity — "So, at long last it's come to this, has it?"
But while I'll happily acknowledge the rules-turned-upside-down pleasure of eating things like waffles and pancakes for dinner (or pizza for breakfast!), that's not at all what this is about.
These are egg dishes that make perfect sense as light main courses. Better yet, throw together a quick salad and you've got a complete, elegant meal that can probably be prepared in less time than it would take my big pasta pot to come to a boil.
Of course, there are omelets and frittatas. Those are easy answers. Eggs, cheese, a few bits of vegetables and you're there. But you don't even need to get that complicated.
You're going to have to trust me on this, but 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. In restaurants, these are cooked long and slow, often over a double boiler, with someone whisking the whole 20 or 30 minutes until the eggs are set. The result is glorious — rich and creamy eggs that are more like a slightly curdled hollandaise than what Andy brings to the counter with a couple of slices of bacon.
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. Here's the deal: 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.
One way to get around this is by whisking them constantly over very low heat — or you can just outsmart the proteins.
The way I fix scrambled eggs, I add just a little bit of cold butter to the raw eggs and start cooking over medium-low heat. You do need to stir constantly — a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula is perfect.
Keep the eggs well agitated and in a couple of minutes, when you can feel them getting thick and see them looking creamy start beating in little cubes of cold butter, a few at a time. 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. Some people (like my wife) don't like their eggs too runny; for them you can go just a little longer. Whatever your preference, take the eggs off the heat while they still look a little too moist. They cook so quickly they'll firm up more in the couple of minutes that you're dishing them up.
If you have caviar or truffles languishing on your counter, by all means use them for garnish. I usually use just a couple of pinches of minced fines herbes (a mix of any or all of parsley, tarragon, chervil and chives, varying according to what I have on hand). And I have to say that, in a pinch, a good grinding of cracked black pepper cuts the richness deliciously.
Another favorite dinner is based on a recipe for eggs fried in bread crumbs that I learned from my old friend Judy Rodgers. For years this was my standard order when I'd stop by her Zuni Cafe in San Francisco for Sunday breakfast. And they're even simpler to make than scrambled.
Put a generous handful of fresh bread crumbs in a small bowl (I've tried this with dried bread crumbs and with Japanese panko bread crumbs, and the fresh crumbs work best). 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 (this recipe can multiply out for as many eggs as you want to make, but I find four eggs is about the most that will fit in a 9-inch skillet).
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 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.
This is the epitome of subtle sophistication. Simple ingredients are cooked in a smart way to get the most out of them. The toasted bread crumbs add crispness to the eggs, and the vinegar finish keeps them from being too rich.
Serve it with just a tart salad, but at this time of year, when I seem to be eating as much asparagus as I can hold, it's even better with the egg laid languorously over a bundle of steamed spears.
It's a simple thing, really just fancy fried eggs, but knowing I've got this waiting for me when I get home, I don't care how my day has gone or how long my commute might be — how dark the world might seem at the moment — there is a light shining at the end of the tunnel.
Asparagus with Bread Crumb-Fried Eggs
Makes 2 servings
1/2 to 3/4 pound asparagus
Olive oil
Salt
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
A few leaves fresh thyme
2 eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon red wine or sherry vinegar
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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. 6.Divide the asparagus in half and arrange it on 2 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.
Note: This is based on a recipe from Judy Rodgers' "The Zuni Cafe Cookbook."
Each serving: 175 calories; 10 grams protein; 9 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 12 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 186 mg cholesterol; 2 grams sugar; 118 mg sodium.
Creamy Scrambled Eggs with Fines Herbs
Makes 2 servings
4 eggs
3/4 teaspoon minced herbs, from a mixture of fresh tarragon, parsley, chives and chervil, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes, divided
4 slices hot toasted and buttered baguette
Freshly ground black pepper
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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. 4. 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.
Each serving: 412 calories; 16 grams protein; 17 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 31 grams fat; 17 grams saturated fat; 428 mg cholesterol; 1 gram sugar; 581 mg sodium.
