Healthy Eating - Poached Egg & Asparagus

There’s nothing like having friends around for a delicious weekend brunch. This week I’d like to share my Poached Egg & Asparagus recipe with you. Not only is this breakfast good for you, it also looks very impressive with bright green asparagus spears and yellow yolk cascading down. Yum! I’m making myself hungry just thinking about it.

Poached Egg & Asparagus

2 thick slices of good quality sourdough bread (spelt or rye is a good option)

2 fresh free range eggs

12 asparagus spears, ends trimmed

Extra virgin olive oil

Parmesan or pecorino cheese

Salt & pepper

Steam or blanche asparagus for a few minutes, until bright green and just tender. Plunge immediately into iced water. Half fill a medium saucepan with hot water, bring to the boil.

Reduce heat to low (so the water is just simmering with only small bubbles rising from the bottom of the pan, crack each egg and gently lower into the water. Poach eggs until the whites are just cooked and the yellow still runny (approx. 2-3 mins for semi-soft yolk/3-4 mins for firm-set yolk).

While eggs are cooking toast the bread. Drain asparagus and place 5 or 6 spears on each piece of toast. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the asparagus. When the eggs are ready, remove from the water with a slotted spoon, drain and place on top of the asparagus. Shave cheese (using a vegetable peeler) over the top. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serves 1-2. Enjoy!

- recipe tried and tested by our resident Master Chef Claire.