Certain ingredients come in season at the same time and practically beg you to cook them together, like strawberries and rhubarb or tomatoes and basil. To that list, add green garlic and asparagus--they're both welcome bursts of green at the end of winter, with flavors that make you want to do a no-more-winter-squash victory dance.
This was originally intended as a side dish, and you could certainly leave out the fried egg and serve it that way. But as springtime progresses and more and more delicious vegetables become available, consider this: fried egg plus anything equals meal, zapping your prep time and enabling you to enjoy the extra daylight.
Green garlic, as we've mentioned before, is worth seeking out. But if the farmer's markets haven't started up where you are yet, you can certainly do this with a crushed clove of garlic or even a finely chopped leek in lieu of the green garlic.
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed, chopped into 1 and 1/2 inch pieces
3 stalks green garlic, white and pale green parts only, diced (you can use the floppy dark green part for vegetable stock)
1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
2 eggs
Thinly sliced Jarlsberg or Gruyere cheese, for the top
Preheat oven to 375. Toss asparagus, green garlic, olive oil and salt together on a baking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes, until asparagus is tender, with touches of brown.
When asparagus is ready, fry eggs. Top each egg with the asparagus and a slice of cheese. Eat, and then get yourself outside!
5 comments:
Shallots are also commonly available in their fresh form.
Myself, I'm always excited by the end of winter. I cannot eat dried garlic and onions --- it's not an allergy, but some form of food intolerance --- but if I cook the green garlic and green onions, and use only the really green parts, I can have some of that allium flavor without the feeling awful.
Wow, I've never cooked with fresh shallots and since they're so delicious dried I bet they're even better fresh! I see you're right here in Berkeley--where have you seen them? I'll have to keep an eye out at the Saturday market.
You know, I get so impatient around September for some bright orange winter squashes, but by March I'll be happy if I never see another butternut again.
We've actually been on "squash strike" all winter (we really burned out on the orange stuff last year).
*drool*
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