Proof a Poached Egg Improves Everything

I have a love/hate relationship with asparagus. I love it when someone else cooks it, but hate it whenever I cook it. A few weeks ago though, I heard about an asparagus preparation that just might prove successful if I tried it at home.

We had hot, summer-like weather in Seattle for the last week - a rarity for this time of year. We spent every evening out on our deck, only going inside for fresh reading material of more ice. I picked up our bi-weekly produce basket one day which included some fresh, local asparagus. It being so hot, I wasn't in the mood for a heavy meal so a light vegetable dish sounded perfect. I had all the other ingredients on hand to try out a new recipe.

Grilled Asparagus with Tarragon Vinaigrette and Poached Egg
1 serving

4-8 spears of asparagus, peeled
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp minced shallot
1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt & pepper
1 egg

Start by breaking off the woody ends of the asparagus. I also peel the stalks lightly, since they always get stringy if I don't. What I mean by lightly is that I don't peel absolutely everything. I peel it 'lightly,' I can't really think of another way to describe that.

Make the vinaigrette: whisk together the lemon juice, tarragon, shallot and oil. Salt & pepper to taste.

Steam the asparagus spears for 2-3 minutes until they have softened. Then, put them into a soaking tub filled with the vinaigrette while you fire up the grill (at least 10 minutes; no more than one hour) and get the water boiling for the egg.

If you don't have a grill, I think you can just saute the spears at this point. There is a little tricky timing to make sure the asparagus is still hot when the poached egg is ready. I grilled the asparagus for about 5 minutes, just enough time to poach the egg.

To poach the egg:
Fill a saucepan with 3-4 inches of water and bring to a rolling boil. Crack in egg into a small cup. Remove the pan from the heat and gently pour the egg into the water. Cover and walk away. For 4 1/2 minutes. Gently lift the egg out of the pan with a slotted spoon. I poke and prod the egg at this point to make sure the white is fully cooked. I have had pretty good success with this timing though.

To serve:
Remove the asparagus from the grill and place on a serving plate. Spoon over a tablespoon or so of the vinaigrette. Place the poached egg on top and season generously with salt and pepper.

The beauty of this dish is that when you break into the egg yolk, it mixes with the vinaigrette to make a nice sauce. This may soon become my favorite way to prepare vegetables, as I think you could substitute anything for the asparagus...or even make a salad with a similar vinaigrette. A poached egg improves everything.