Asparagus and Eggs

I make this simple and easy to make dish often when asparagus is still in season and not too pricey. I sometimes bake it in individual bowls or just cook it in a covered skillet on the stove top to avoid heating up the kitchen. I love that it has more vegetables than meat which are added to flavor the sauce and the vegetables. The usual meat added are Spanish chorizos and ham; the other vegetables are sweet peas and roasted sweet red bell pepper. I omitted the peas and added baby limas instead for added protein. If you can't find or don't like chorizos, other sausages are okay to use with this poached eggs and asparagus dish, but you have to omit the Spanish paprika though and substitute it with regular sweet paprika.

Asparagus and Eggs

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped Vidalia or sweet onion

2 cloved garlic, minced

2 pieces Spanish chorizo, sliced

1 cup cubed ham

2 teaspoons sea salt

ground black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon pimentón (Spanish paprika)

1 pound asparagus, sliced into half inch pieces

1 large tomato, chopped

1 cup coarsely chopped roasted red bell pepper

1 cup frozen sweet peas

6 eggs

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• In a large non-stick skillet, heat olive oil and saute garlic and onion for 3 minutes; add chorizo, ham, salt, pepper, and pimentón. Let cook on medium heat for 2 minutes. Stir in asparagus, tomatoes, and roasted red bell pepper and let simmer uncovered for 3 minutes. Stir in sweet peas. Make 6 wells and place one egg on each well. Sprinkle a few grains of sea salt on the eggs. Cover and let simmer until eggs are set but yolks are still soft. Remove from heat and drizzle all over with extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.

  

Food Friday: Asparagus Tofu Stir Fry

This easy to prepare and yummy healthy dish has two of my favorite ingredients: silken tofu and asparagus. I crave for tofu when I've had too much meat and because I love it. It's a Filipino thing; we ♥ our tofu!;D

Asparagus Tofu Stir Fry
1 block extra firm silken tofu, cubed
2 tablespoons light olive oil, divided
½ pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 scallions, cut into half-inch pieces
1½ tablespoons soy sauce, more or less to taste
2 tablespoons dry sherry or rice wine
a pinch of red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon cracked sichuan peppercorns

• In a wok or large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil and pan fry the tofu until golden brown. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and add scallions. Stir fry for 1 minute then add the asparagus. Stir fry for 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sherry, and red pepper flakes. Stir cook for 2 minutes or until half of the liquid has evaporated and asparagus is cooked but still crunchy.
  
• Turn the heat off and sprinkle the sichuan peppercorns. Serve immediately over hot steamed rice.
  

Gazpacho, Asparagus Chicken Sandwich, Hummus, And More

gazpacho and chicken asparagus pita sandwich

The past 4 days I haven't turned on the stove and we have been eating cold food and loving it immensely. Yesterday I made gazpacho, a Spanish cold soup with fresh tomatoes and cucumber. I have plenty of steamed asparagus and bought strips of roasted chicken which I made into pita sandwiches. I also made hummus and served it with wholewheat mini pitas...wonderful. My daughter and I have been making all sorts of combinations with the chicken, asparagus, fresh spinach, shaved cucumbers, tzatziki, hummus, and pita. She smeared spinach leaves with both tzatziki and hummus, added shaved cucumbers and chicken then rolled the spinach, delicious! We can get used to this.;-)

This is the first time I made and have eaten gazpacho. It always reminds me of the guy that one of my best friends dated many years ago. The guy, a French Canadian, prepared an elaborate dinner for my friend in his well-appointed house (he did all the interior decoration) in Makati. The first course was gazpacho that he made earlier in the day and was chilling in the refrigerator for over 4 hours. When the time came to transfer the gazpacho in a soup tureen, the bowl slipped from his hands and left a pool of tomato/cucumber soup on the flour and soaked his Italian loafers. According to my friend he was upset the whole night over the spilt gazpacho. She later fell asleep on the couch while watching a boring artsy French film. Good thing my friend did not end up with him because he turned out to have plenty of issues and perhaps a questionable sexual orientation.;-)

Anyways, back to dinner. I fell in love with this refreshing cold soup that pairs very well with the asparagus and chicken sandwich. We used to have this sandwich in the house of the friend mentioned above. They were prepared by their cook who used canned asparagus instead of fresh which is also very good although a bit mushy and she sliced them into thin fingers. They were really tasty, light, and different and have become one of our favorite sandwiches.

Gazpacho Andaluz
1½ pounds tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small shallot, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 slices day-old baguette, crusts removed, soaked in water and squeezed out
1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups water

for garnish
garlic croutons, chopped tomatoes, and chopped cucumbers

• In a food processor combine all the ingredients except garnish and process until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing down hard to extract all the liquid. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• To serve, pour soup into bowls and pass the garnishes separately.

Chicken Asparagus Sandwich

store-bought or leftover roasted chicken breasts, cut into strips
steamed asparagus, cut into 3 -4 inch pieces
mayonnaise
salt, optional
watercress, torn spinach
whole wheat pitas or sliced bread

Hummus

1 16-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzos)
3 T fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, chopped
1½ T tahini
1 tsp salt
extra virgin olive oil
for garnish: chopped flat leaf parsley, paprika, or cayenne, optional

• Drain chickpeas, reserve ¼ C of liquid. Place all ingredients except olive oil and garnish in a blender, add the reserved liquid and blend on low speed until smooth. Transfer into a bowl. Make a well in the center and pour olive oil in the well. Serve with pita triangles.

a delicious meatless dinner

Mother's Day Brunch

Happy Mother's Day!

For Mother's Day brunch we had Roasted Asparagus with slightly sweetened and reduced balsamic vinegar, poached egg, and shaved Parmesan cheese. I got the asparagus and eggs from the farmer's market yesterday morning (I went despite the rain and chilly wind) and yes, they taste better than store bought.

Roasted Asparagus And Poached Eggs
adapted from recipe at Martha Stewart.com
1 bunch asparagus, preferably thin ones
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon raw sugar
eggs
shaved Parmesan cheese

• Wash and trim asparagus. Place in a small roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle salt evenly. Bake in a 400 degree oven until wilted and beginning to brown. While asparagus is roasting, heat the vinegar and sugar in a small skillet until reduced by half. Poach eggs in a medium pan of simmering water mixed with a tsp of cider vinegar. Divide roasted asparagus into 2 individual plates. Drizzle balsamic vinegar all over. Arrange a poached egg on top. Shave Parmesan cheese over the asparagus and egg. Serve immediately with crusty bread or brioche.

Pollo Al Chilindrón (Chicken With Sweet Bell Peppers)

This Spanish recipe is adapted from my cookbook The Food of Spain and Portugal by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz. The chicken stew has very few ingredients but very tasty. I love its vibrant color on the plate with the steamed asparagus and fresh fava beans.

Chicken with Sweet Bell Peppers
2 pounds boneless chicken thighs
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 sweet bell peppers, sliced into ¼ inch strips
2 ounces serrano or prosciutto ham, chopped
4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

• Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan, heat the oil and saute the chicken pieces until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a casserole or large pan. Add the onion to the frying pan and cook until soft then add the garlic, saute for 2 more minutes. Add the peppers and ham and continue to cook until the peppers are soft. Add the tomatoes until everything is well blended. Add the mixture to the casserole with ¼ C water, season with salt and pepper and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. The sauce should be quite thick. Have lots of dinner rolls or french bread to soak up the wonderful sauce.
  

• Variation: If you prefer the dish hot, you can add a small hot red chili, chopped, to the sauce. You can also add sliced green or black olives during the last few minutes of cooking.

I have some homemade mayonnaise that I served with the steamed asparagus, a teaspoon is enough to flavor the vegetables. Hollandaise sauce also goes well with the asparagus.