Pan-Roasted Asparagus with a Crispy Fried Egg {Perfection On A Plate}

This recipe is all about texture and flavor.

Crunchy, cheesy, herbaceous breadcrumbs with the kick of red pepper flakes and a hint of lemon zest sit atop a crispy-bottomed fried egg that oozes with yolk down over the tops of pan-fried asparagus spears. I'm telling ya....this is the perfect breakfast or brunch dish. This is really the perfect anytime dish. 

I was wowed by how good this was! In fact, this was so good, I instantly felt mad at myself for not making it sooner. Do you ever do that? I do. After that first bite I found myself thinking "why oh why did I allow this to sit on my "to make list" for so long? Nonsense I tell ya.

There's just something about the crunch of the breadcrumbs and the oozing egg yolk that is the perfect topper for the asparagus. It just really wakes up those taste buds and keep you wanting more.

It's one of those dishes that is kinda naughty but kinda angelic. Widely satisfying, but still light. You know, one of those rare dishes that strike the perfect balance. The kind you make again and again and highly recommend. Perfection on a plate.

Pan-Fried Asparagus with a Crispy Fried Egg

Adapted from Food Network

by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 4

Breadcrumb Gremolata

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon lemon zest (1 lemon)

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Asparagus

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 pound thin asparagus, trimmed

salt and pepper, to taste

4 large eggs

For the Gremolata: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and olive oil and toast, stirring often with a wooden spoon until golden brown. Place in a small bowl and while still hot, add the lemon zest, red pepper flakes and salt. Mix together and cool the mixture to room temperature. Stir in the parsley and cheese.

For the Asaparagus: Wipe the pan with a clean dish towel. Place over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the asparagus and salt to taste.  Cook, stirring and flipping often with tongs until the asparagus is bright green, cooked through and slightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes.

Divide the asparagus among four serving plates. To the same pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Crack 2 of the egg into the pan, being careful as it may splatter, sprinkle with salt and reduce the heat slightly and cook until the edges are light brown and crispy and the whites are just set, 2 to 3 minutes. The yolk should still be runny. Repeat for the remaining 2 eggs. Using a slotted spatula, slide an egg on each plate. Sprinkle each dish with the breadcrumb gremolata and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

Just For Kicks {Spicy Favorites From the Stirring The Pot Kitchen}

Over at I Heart Cooking Clubs we're celebrating spicy dishes that give either a little bit, or a lot of kick! I'm having company this week and didn't have enough time to throw together a new dish, so I'm recapping with five of my favorite spicy dishes, as well as a shout out to a dish I've mentioned before, that are perfect for the summer months!

Here in the Stirring the Pot household, we love spicy dishes! They are simply are favorites. I've mentioned this dish several times on my blog, but Madhur Jaffrey's Delicious Chicken Bits is hands down our favorite dish I've ever shared on this blog. It's spicy mainly because it has quite a bit of cayenne pepper in it, but also because it is full of other spices like cumin, paprika, garlic powder, turmeric, black pepper, salt, and thyme. It is a celebration of spices and is a must make for fans of spicy food.

And now onto my five favorites, in no particular order: (click on the link to be directed to the original post and recipe)

Heidi Swanson's Green Chile Whipped Cream Cheese

This whipped cream cheese is heavenly. Chopped up serrano pepper and garlic give it a truly wonderful flavor profile and it is remarkable and addictive on bagels for breakfast. Of course, this cream cheese is wonderful on just about anything. Trust me....it will not last long!

Curtis Stone's Potato & Zucchini Enchiladas with Fiery Habanero Salsa

Light and delicious veggie enchiladas with a super-fiery-not-for-the-faint-of-heart habanero salsa to set your mouth on fire! The avocado is not optional....it's necessary to cool your mouth down!

Rick Bayless' Queso Fundido Burger

This burger is a wonderful mix of flavors: chorizo, chipotles in adobo, poblano chiles, onions, and garlic.....and ooey gooey Monterey jack cheese. A tasty way to enjoy a burger this summer!

Rick Bayless' Pollo Pulquero

A lovely and unique meal for the slow cooker, this chicken is flavored with tomatillos, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, and a splash of jalapeno pickling juice. The chicken is fall off the bone tender and this is a light and fresh meal that is perfect for spring and summer.

Rick Bayless' Jalapeno-Baked Fish

 A light and easy tomato sauce made with a hint of garlic and pickled jalapenos is the perfect way to jazz up fish for a nice light summer meal. This was a very pleasant dish and a great way to add a little kick to your regular old weeknight dinner routine. The potatoes really round it out and make it a nice little meal. 

What are some of your spicy favorites?

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Potatoes with "Deconstructed Pesto"

My mom is definitely the one with the "green thumb". In fact, for some time, I think my neighbor's thought she was the lady of the house mainly because she was the one outside planting, pruning, watering, and weeding. It's not that I didn't want to be the one with the green thumb. It's more because I wasn't any good at it and the more I tried the more mom came behind me, cleaning up my messes and fixing my mistakes, as moms are prone to do.

Years ago, mom dug a small herb garden off the back porch and she planted chives, oregano, cilantro, basil, and mint. The herbs did well, but over time we widdled it down to chives, basil, and mint, mostly because they thrived the most and we liked them best.

If I ever got real busy and forgot about the herb garden mom always let me know. She would cut huge bouquets of fresh herbs and place them all over the kitchen, and I'd always laugh because it was her way of telling me they needed to be used.

This summer my mom's been sick and she hasn't spent too much time outside in the garden. Just last week the doctor's told us her cancer was terminal. They say we have time, and we are thankful for that, but we are all still in shock and beside ourselves. I've spent many hours staring into space since that day, but the only thing that really helps me is getting in the kitchen.
 


My mom's always been my blogging buddy. Since the very beginning. The one I cook for. My bravest taste tester. My biggest fan. So this week when I questioned what in the world I could make, I thought of her and what she would do, if only she felt better. I found my answering staring out at the herb garden. It was in need of some love. I started on the basil first and was happy when I found this delicious Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall dish of Potatoes with "Deconstructed Pesto".

It reminded me of another dish I made back in 2011 when the basil went crazy and mom went outside and filled vases upon vases of basil for me to use. The whole house reeked of basil, and we love the scent, but oh boy...there is such a thing as too much and it makes me laugh now thinking about it. That week I think everything I cooked had basil in it. But of all the dishes we tried we tried that week, the one standout was Ina Garten's Basil Potato Puree. We fell in love with those potatoes. In fact, we still talk about that dish from time to time. Mom always calls it a "special dish" and/or "the freshest potatoes ever tasted." I linked that one above, because if I had my pick between the two potato dishes I'd pick that one, but both of these are tasty summer pleasures.

As for me, I'm heading back out into the herb garden. The mint is out of control and I think I got a few more empty vases...

Potatoes with "Deconstructed Pesto"

River Cottage Veg

by Hugh Fearnely-Whittingstall

Serves 2-4

1 pounds baby potatoes, cut to uniform size if needed

salt and black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

good handful of basil, shredded

generous squeeze of lemon juice

good handful of grated Parmesan

 Place uniformly cut (potatoes need to be similar sizes to cut in the same time) into a medium-sized saucepan, cover with water, add salt, and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for about 8 minutes, until tender.  Drain the potatoes and set aside.

Put the same saucepan back onto the stove top and add the olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper, to taste. Allow the garlic to cook for around 1 minute, then add potatoes back into the saucepan and stir in the shredded basil, some lemon juice, and some grated Parmesan cheese. Taste, adjust seasoning (usually potatoes always need more salt) and serve. 

Donna Hay's Beef and Chorizo Burgers w/ Chipotle Mayo

Years back, when we were cooking the recipes of Donna Hay, my friend Michelle of Ms.enPlace shared Donna's Beef & Chorizo Burgers and they looked incredible.  The recipe was simple enough, basically just two simple ingredients: beef and chorizo, but we all know how much flavor chorizo imparts, so I knew without a doubt that this recipe would be a winner with my family.

The original recipe calls for a beetroot relish but Michelle opted to make a Chipotle Sour Cream Sauce for her burgers, which I think is perfect! So I'm taking a nod from Michelle, swapping the sour cream for mayo, and making a chipotle mayo.

Now let me tell ya, these burgers are the perfect way to switch up your burger game. I love a good old-fashioned cheeseburger, but in the summer time when burger season is really in high gear, it sure is nice to change it up from time to time. With all that flavor I didn't even miss the cheese! I highly recommend these burgers for one of your upcoming cookouts!

Beef & Chorizo Burgers w/ Chipotle Mayo

Recipe by Donna Hay, found on Ms. enPlace

Serves 4

For the Burgers

1 pound ground beef

6 oz. fresh Mexican chorizo

salt and pepper, to taste

olive oil

4 hamburger buns

lettuce leaves, or any of top..toppings of your choice

Chipotle Mayo

1/2 cup mayo

3/4 teaspoon cumin

1 chipotle pepper in adobo, chopped

1 teaspoon adobo sauce

For the Chipotle Mayo: In a small bowl place all the mayo ingredients and mix until blended. Chill until ready to use.

For the Burgers: Heat a grill or grill pan over medium heat.  Add the ground beef and chorizo to a mixing bowl. Season the meat mixture with salt and pepper and gently combine with your hands (try not to overwork it). Divide mixture into 4 portions and shape into patties.

Brush both sides of the burgers with olive oil and place on the grill or grill pan. Grill to desired doneness (about 7-8 minutes for medium well). While the burgers cook, brush the inside surfaces of the buns. Place them on the grill when the burgers have just a couple of minutes left.

Dress the burgers with chipotle mayo and or lettuce or toppings of your choice and enjoy!

Happy Fourth of July to everyone who is celebrating!!