How to Poach an Egg: Poached Eggs Over Roasted Asparagus

~by Sharon Rhodes

Sharon Rhodes blogs at the thehonoursystem.com and lives in Southern Ontario, Canada (that’s why you’ll see a “u” in colour, flavour, etc.)

If you look at the calendar, spring has officially sprung. Sadly, the weather in my neck of the woods is not cooperating with the calendar. It’s been a long-ish winter and I am not so patiently waiting for the warm weather to arrive.

A good way to get that spring feeling despite the temperatures is to embrace the foods that are synonymous with spring. One of the season’s greatest gifts is asparagus. Nothing says spring like these green spears of goodness. They are so easy to prepare and totally versatile. And can we talk nutritional benefits? Asparagus gives us:

• Folate: Also known as folic acid, which is both anti-aging and anti-inflammatory.
• Vitamin K: This elusive vitamin aids in bone formation and repair. Studies have shown it to help prevent osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.
• Potassium: This is super beneficial in maintaining brain function and ensuring the proper growth of muscle tissues

The only prep work needed is to slice off the woody ends of the asparagus. These taste pretty icky, so it’s kind of an important step.

My favourite way to prepare asparagus is to simply roast them. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over your spears, top with a few pats of organic butter, season with a bit of sea salt and fresh pepper and pop into the oven. Easy peasy!

To make a quick and easy, protein-packed lunch, I love adding poached eggs to my delicious roasted asparagus. Through many trials, I’ve mastered the art of poaching. It’s quite simple, really. Two little tricks I’ve learned make it virtually fool proof:

First, adding a good 3 to 4 tablespoons of vinegar to your water helps the egg from spreading all over the place.

The second tip is to crack your egg into a small bowl or ramekin before sliding it into the water. This saves any broken yolks and also saves your sanity!

Use the freshest eggs possible for poaching and save the older ones for good old-fashioned hard-boiled eggs. Fresh eggs will keep a nice round shape in the water. You are looking for a teardrop-like orb.

Grate some fresh parmesan overtop to add that finishing touch and there you have it! A simple, yet satisfying and tasty meal that embodies the spring season.

Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus


½ lemon


2 tbsp butter


sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste


4 fresh eggs


4 tbsp vinegar


¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Rinse asparagus, pat dry, and slice off the ends.
3. Line up the spears up on the parchment-covered baking sheet and squeeze lemon over top.
4. Season with salt and pepper and evenly distribute the pats of butter on top of the asparagus.
5. Pop into the oven for 10 minutes.
6. Fill a small saucepan 3/4 full with water and bring to a light boil. Turn the heat down to a medium-low simmer and stir in the vinegar.
7. Poach the eggs one at a time. Crack an egg into a small bowl and slide it gently into the water, getting the bowl as close to the water as possible before sliding in the egg.
8. Cook the egg for 3-5 minutes, depending on how runny you prefer your yolks.
9. Place poached eggs over cooked asparagus and sprinkle with parmesan cheese
.