ASPARAGUS WITH HERBED BROAD BEANS & EGG

This recipe is inspired by the classic asparagus mimosa. It’s a beautiful recipe that celebrates spring produce with green garlic, broad beans and eggs.

serves 4

2 extra large eggs 

500g asparagus spears

300g podded broad beans (need about 1kg whole broad beans)

¼ cup mint leaves

3 spring onions, or green garlic, ends and tops of spring onion trimmed

2 teaspoons salted capers, rinsed

1 anchovy fillet

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

sea salt, to taste

freshly ground pepper 

Gently place eggs in a small saucepan of boiling water over a high heat. Simmer for 10 minutes.  Immediately transfer eggs to a bowl of cold water.  Refresh with cold water after a minute, then repeat one more time.  Remove and set aside to cool completely.   Peel away shell and finely chop the egg.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add broad beans and cook for 3 minutes or until beans are tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl of cold iced water.  When cooled, drain well.  Peel and slip off outer shell from each bean (note: skip this step if beans are young).

Place half of the peeled broad beans, spring onion, or green garlic if using, mint, oil, lemon juice, anchovy and capers in a small food processor and pulse until just chopped and combined. Season to taste with a pinch of sea salt.

Bend asparagus bases until the tough end snaps, then, trim each base to neaten.  Place asparagus in a large saucepan of boiling salted water and cook for 3 minutes, or until just tender.  At this point, the asparagus can be drained to serve warm, or transferred to a bowl of cold water to cool to room temperature then drained well.

Arrange asparagus on individual plates, or all on a platter.  Spoon paste over the stems, scatter over remaining broad beans and top with chopped egg. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.

Fiona Hammond © October 2018