Asparagus, Eggs & Scones: Weekend Breakfast

It’s asparagus season in West Michigan! It’s now time to pickle asparagus, make salad or soup with it, or (and this is one of my favorites), have it with eggs for breakfast, lunch OR dinner. (You may also have it for brunch, if, unlike me, you enjoy brunch.)

These are two delicious egg + asparagus recipes. They’re anytime-meals, and even more Michigan-y with the dried cherry scones.

Asparagus Omelet

from Cooks Illustrated, May/June 2007

Makes 1 large omelet, which serves 2 people

I don’t try many Cooks Illustrated recipes because they’re so complicated. However, this one seemed simple and it is certainly delicious.

Recipe Note: When cooking the eggs, it is important to lift the edges of the omelet rather than push them toward the center.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound asparagus , trimmed of tough ends and cut on bias into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 1/4 cups)
Table salt and ground black pepper
1 medium shallot , halved and sliced thin
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
5 large eggs
1 1/2 ounces Gruyere cheese , finely grated (about 1/2 cup) (Joy’s note: You can also substitute another cheese, based on what you have on hand. )

1. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, add asparagus, pinch salt, and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add shallot and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is lightly browned and tender, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Add lemon juice and toss to coat; transfer to bowl. While asparagus cooks, beat eggs and salt and pepper to taste with fork in small bowl until combined.

2. Wipe skillet clean with paper towel. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium-low heat; when foaming subsides, pour in eggs. Cook, without stirring, until eggs begin to set, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Using rubber spatula, lift edge of cooked egg, then tilt pan to one side so that uncooked egg runs underneath. Repeat process, working around pan edge. Using spatula, gently scrape uncooked egg toward rim of skillet, until top is just slightly wet. Entire process should take 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Let pan sit on heat without moving for 30 seconds. Remove pan from heat, sprinkle asparagus mixture in even layer over omelet, then sprinkle cheese evenly over asparagus. Cover and let stand until eggs no longer appear wet, 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Return skillet to medium heat for 30 seconds. Using rubber spatula, loosen edges of omelet from skillet. Slide omelet halfway out of pan onto serving plate. Tilt pan so top of omelet folds over itself. Cut omelet in half; using large, thin spatula, transfer to individual plates and serve immediately.

 

If you have a hankering for a more simple recipe for asparagus and eggs, try:

Not Your Mother’s Scrambled Eggs

I got this recipe from the Crane Dance Farm stall at the Fulton Street Farmer’s Market several years ago. This is delicious and simple–and especially good with eggs from chicken that graze.

1/4 C. garlic scapes, chopped

1 T. olive oil

6 asparagus spears, cut into 1/2″ lengths

4 eggs

1 T. water

4 oz. crumbled French goat cheese

Heat olive oil in a skillet (nonstick or cast iron) on medium-high heat, add garlic scapes. Saute’ for 1 minute. Add asparagus and saute’ for 3 minutes more. Add eggs beaten with water to skillet, stirring until almost set. Add goat cheese; stir until barely melted.

 

Before you cook the eggs, stick a batch of these in the oven. You may, of course, substitute other dried fruits for the cherries, but the cherries are quite delicious!

Dried Cherry Scones

from Gourmet, August 2008

• 4 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)
• 1/2 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup heavy cream plus additional for brushing (I have used 1/2 and 1/2 to cut down on fat.)

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Scatter butter on top and blend with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in dried cherries.

Whisk together egg and cream in a small bowl, then fold into flour mixture until dough just comes together (dough will be quite delicate).

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, press into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Cut out rounds with cutter and arrange 2 inches apart on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Gather scraps together and cut out additional scones.

Brush tops of scones with cream and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake scones, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until tops are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack about 10 minutes before serving.

 

Autumn Baking #3: Dried Cherry Scones

Michigan is a great place to get dried cherries and I have a great old favorite recipe that uses them: dried cherry scones. Scones are pretty ubiquitous these days, but I remember the late 1980’s or early 1990’s when my mom started making them. They were ethnic, they were English and therefore high-class, and they were really exciting. 

But they’re still pretty exciting. A scone is really biscuit dough with an egg in it and sometimes fancy things (chocolate chips, dried fruit, lavender flowers) added for flavor. They’re great for breakfast and, if you have a little self control, will stick around a few days on the counter without getting too dry. 

Usually when I make this recipe, I substitute 100% whole wheat pastry flour for the cake flour. This makes good scones that aren’t as fluffy as they would otherwise be. You do whatever you’re comfortable with–adding any percentage of whole wheat pastry flour you prefer. Just don’t cut back on the butter. That’s what makes a scone a scone. Eat some soup for lunch and dinner; it will all work out in the end.

Dried Cherry Scones

4 C. sifted flour (all or a combination of cake flour, all purpose flour, or whole wheat pastry flour)

1/2 C. sugar plus more for sprinkling

1 T. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ pieces

1 C. dried cherries

1 large egg

1 C. whole milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream (Cream makes a better scone, obviously, but I usually use whole milk.)

Preheat oven to 375 with the rack in the middle.

Whisk together the dry ingredients. Scatter butter on top and blend with your fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in dried cherries.

Whisk together the egg and cream in a small bowl then fold into flour mixture until dough just comes together. The dough will be very delicate.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, press into a 1″ thick rectangle or circle. If you cut a rectangle, use a 3″ biscuit/cookie cutter to cut out circles. I prefer to make a large circle and slice the dough into 8 wedges. The scones will be larger, but this is a lot less work and you don’t have to gather up the fragments and re-cut, which makes the dough more tough.

Sprinkle the top of the scones with sugar, if you wish. Bake scones, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until the tops are golden, 25-35 minutes, depending on the size of the scones. Cool on a rack about 10 minutes before serving.

Eat with a cup of coffee or tea and fresh fruit. Enjoy your food; don’t feel guilty. Just don’t eat scones everyday.