Chargrilled Asparagus with Crispy Hen’s Eggs & Herb Dessing

A favourite at our COOKERY SCHOOL, this simple recipe makes the most of one of our most cherished spring ingredients, asparagus. We love to serve this as a protein-rich breakfast, a first course at a dinner party or even as a light spring lunch with a glass of crisp white wine and slice or two of organic sourdough.

Ingredients

Serves: 2

FOR THE CHARGRILLED ASPARAGUS:

3 organic eggs
50g plain flour
100g fine breadcrumbs
1 bunch asparagus spears
6-8 spring onions
handful of basil leaves
handful of mint leaves
75ml extra virgin olive oil
squeeze of lemon juice
salt and pepper
oil for frying
pea shoots to serve (optional)

Method

Bring a small pan of water to the boil, turn down to a simmer and add 2 of the eggs. Simmer for 6 minutes before draining and refreshing under cold water until completely cool. Then peel the eggs, discarding the shells.

Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl. Tip the flour into a second bowl and the breadcrumbs into a third.

Dust the eggs completely in flour, then dip into the beaten egg, turning to coat. Lastly place the egg in the bowl of breadcrumbs, again, turning to evenly coat. Repeat this with the second boiled egg and keep both to one side.

Snap the woody ends from the asparagus and trim the spring onions, discarding the very dark green ends. Place both in a bowl, drizzle in a little olive oil and toss together with some salt and pepper until evenly coated. Place on a pre-heated chargrill pan and turn regularly to colour evenly on all sides. Remove from the chargrill and slice diagonally into long slices and keep to one side.

To make the dressing simply place the herbs and olive oil in a small jug, with the lemon juice and some salt and pepper. Use a hand-held stick blender to blend to a smooth, bright green dressing.

To fry the eggs, pour enough oil into a small saucepan so that it will be deep enough to cover the egg. Heat over a moderate to high heat until the oil is lightly bubbling. Carefully add the breaded eggs and fry for 2-3 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden, turning over occasionally to help them brown evenly. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

To assemble, simply arrange the asparagus and spring onions on two serving plates. Drizzle over the herb dressing and slice each egg in half before placing on top of the vegetables. Decorate with pea shoots or more fresh herbs.