All content copyright Katrina Hall 2008 through 2025
I woke up at 5 am, hungry and as always, happy to see a new day. There's always a thrill to rummage through the fridge, wondering just what might be perfect for this beautiful new day. A fresh bunch of new skinny asparagus winked at me through the thin plastic bag. And? Gently simmered in a little water until it was just tender. Drained and set aside. And what else?
Those marvelous eggs from Locally Laid, somewhere in Minnesota. Ah, here it is - PO Box, Wrenshall, MN, also gently poached until the whites were opaque and the yolks a little firm when I pressed a fingertip to them after draining off the water, and set them on a plate. A little cheese sauce, I think.
Add a little cheese, as always, here a half cup shredded sharp cheddar and mozzarella, salt and pepper, a little cream, in a small saucepan and set on very low heat until melty, and DONE. Even though it melted, there was a milky residue in the saucepan, which I drained off. It was too early to forage through the cookbooks for a proper creamy sauce. A sprinkle of Italian parsley topped it off.
Note: I tested a proper white cheese sauce later :
3 T. butter
1.5 T. flour
Melt butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan and whisk in the flour on low heat.
Add 1/4 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup cheddar, and 1/2 cup milk, salt and pepper.
Whisk until the sauce is smooth. Drizzle over the eggs and asparagus.
All in all, a perfect breakfast on a very cold morning (8 degrees) . Here's to a beautiful new day!
Yesterday I had this breakfast on the terrace with oozy eggs, this morning I let them cook for 10 minutes, instead of 8 , and I much prefer the firmer eggs. Luckily, there was just enough leftover asparagus (also cooked for 10 minutes in a separate pan with salted simmering water)), and a nice firm roll for dipping in the puddle of melted butter and lemon juice. Even more delicious!
The sun is out and off to town to pick up the Sunday paper - have a glorious Sunday!
Finally most of the snow has melted away on the terrace - until this week the gigantic snow drifts from the roof shoveling sat in the shade and refused to melt. At last, at last! Happy Spring at last!
To celebrate, I had a late breakfast outside - a little wind and in-and-out clouds, but fresh air and the roar of the brook.
Although I love fat asparagus, all I could find at the market were these skinny spears - so both the eggs and asparagus cooked 8 minutes (separately) before taking off heat. Drizzled with melted butter and a squeeze of lemon was all it needed.
And around the front of the house, the daffodils are growing inches everyday and about to pop. Best of all, the bugs have not woken up yet. Happy Spring!
What I'm watching: The movie "Chef". Terrific!
What I'm reading: Waging Heavy Peace by Neil Young - yes, I have a rock and roll past:)
What a beautiful blue sky today! Moving into February, the bitter cold slowly warmed, with two pretty snowstorms with light snowflakes (as opposed to that freezing rain/snow glop we had in January) that were a joy to shovel. I even braved going down to Norway Pond and taking a little walk on the snow covered ice. Looks like the tundra, doesn't it?
Then a light lunch with the new pencil-thin asparagus, farfalle (bow-tie) pasta, and avocado, sharpened with garlic and parmesan, finished with Italian parsley. Sigh. What a wonderful Monday!
Asparagus and avocado pasta
a small handful of very thin new asparagus (about 10 stalks)
1 1/2 cups farfalle pasta
2 T. unsalted butter
1 large clove of garlic, minced
Half an avocado, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
a few cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup roughly chopped Italian parsley
1/2 t. dried basil (or fresh, if you have it, I didn't)
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan
kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
a squeeze of fresh lemon over all
Adapted from Everyday Food 2006
Gently bend the bottoms of the asparagus stalks until they snap off easily, leaving the most tender parts of the stalk. Cut the asparagus into 2 inch pieces.
Fill a medium saucepot with water, add a bit of salt and bring to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes. Remove asparagus to a bowl with a slotted spoon but do not drain the water off.
Bring the water back to a boil and cook the pasta for 10 minutes. Remove half a cup of the pasta water, and drain off the rest.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the pasta pot, add the asparagus and garlic, and cook for about 4 minutes. Add salt and pepper, basil, parsley, the pasta water, the parmesan, the second tablespoon of butter, and the avocado and cherry tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat.. Remove and taste for seasonings, then squeeze a little lemon juice over the pasta before serving.
Serve with extra parmesan.
A year ago: Sweet Pink Valentine cookies
Rain, rain, rain. Days and days of rain tend toward gloom. The roses rust and droop, and the newly planted vegetable starts refuse to grow beyond their 2 inch plugs. One day, the sun came out, and as I checked on my pots of herbs, a tiny slender baby snake slithered away. Of course I screeched, I always do:)
I ended up grabbing a bundle of fresh asparagus at the last minute one day at the market - it was crispy and green and reminded me, yes - it really is Spring. I usually cook asparagus quickly, then dip in melted butter with a squeeze of fresh lemon. And I always end up with a stubborn stain on my shirt. I suddenly remembered a sauce I used to make - ( aioli) - but it was rather heavily scented with raw garlic, so I experimented with a milder version, sans the garlic. Sweet!
I sliced the asparagus on the diagonal, then quickly blanched it in boiling water, then drained it. As it was cooling, I made the lemon emulsion, and drizzled it on the asparagus, then served, to some very appreciative and hungry guests: my family! Even Frankie the two year old ate it, and that's saying something! I served vermicelli on the side, along with some parmesan, with fresh blueberries and strawberries I marinated in orange juice.
For the asparagus:
Trim the ends off the asparagus spears.
Cut on the slant in 2 inch pieces, set aside.
Bring water to boil in a pot, when boiling, toss in the asparagus until just barely tender, strain, and set aside to cool.
For the lemon emulsion sauce:
1 large egg yolk from a fresh farm egg
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
pinch of sea salt or to taste
a pea sized bit of dijon mustard (more would overpower the sauce)
1/2 cup mild olive oil ( not virgin or extra virgin)
Whisk the egg yolk, then add the lemon juice.
Add the salt and scrape into a food processor.
Drop in the dijon, and whiz.
Add the olive oil, a teaspoon at a time, with the machine going.
As you add the oil, the sauce will come together in a glossy, creamy emulsion. Do not be tempted to add the oil all at once, or the sauce will fail.
Drizzle on the asparagus and serve.
