Basque Eggs With Ham Asparagus And Peas Recipes

ASPARAGUS, HAM, AND POACHED EGG SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
• Fill the pasta pot with 3 quarts of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the coarse salt and the asparagus. Blanch, uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. (Cooking time will vary according to the size and tenderness of the asparagus.) Immediately remove the colander from the water, letting the water drain from the asparagus. Plunge the asparagus into the ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible and retain their crispness and bright green color. (The asparagus will cool in 1 to 2 minutes. After that, they will soften and begin to lose crispness and flavor.) Drain the asparagus and wrap it in a thick kitchen towel to dry. (Do not cook the asparagus in advance or it will lose its crispness.)
• Break each egg into a ramekin or small cup. Set aside. In a large, shallow saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Add the vinegar. One by one, bring the edge of a ramekin or cup level with the surface of the water and slide the egg in gently. Turn off the heat and cover the pan. Poach the eggs until the whites are firm but the yolks are still runny and are covered with a thin, translucent layer of white, about 3 minutes.
• With the sieve or slotted spoon, carefully lift the eggs from the water and transfer them to several thicknesses of paper towels.
• Place the salad greens and chives in a large salad bowl. Toss with just enough dressing to coat the greens lightly and evenly.
• Place the asparagus on a large plate and add just enough dressing to lightly coat the spears. Roll the asparagus in the dressing.
• Arrange the dressed greens at one side of each of 4 large dinner plates. (Rectangular plates are particularly beautiful here.) Carefully place a poached egg alongside. Arrange 4 asparagus spears next to the eggs. Carefully drape a slice of ham over each of the poached eggs. Season the greens lightly with fine sea salt and generously with pepper. Sprinkle with chives. Serve with the toast.

BASQUE EGGS

Steps:

• In a large nonstick saucepan (or skillet with reasonably high sides), saute diced sausage over medium flame till nicely browned, about 4 minutes.
• Add onion and garlic and stir till well mixed. Cook till onion is soft and garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add bell peppers and cook a minute or two, till slightly soft. Add diced tomatoes, thyme, red pepper, and salt (if using), cover, and cook 4 minutes, till juicy.
• If using beaten eggs, stir gently throghout veggie mixture; cover. Cook 4 minutes, till set. (This produces more of a fritatta feel--good for folks who don't like runny egg yolks).
• If using whole eggs, crack each egg and gently slide it into the veggie stew, trying to keep the eggs from touching each other (it may help to make a well for each egg with the back of a spoon). Cover and cook 3 minutes, till whites are set. Ladle each egg and some veggies into a serving bowl. Serve with crusty warm bread.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND PEAS

Steps:

• Zest the lemons and lay out the zest to dry it slightly, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Mix the lemon zest with the salt in a small bowl and set aside. Cut 2 of the lemons in half and set aside.
• Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil on a baking sheet and toss to coat. Roast until the asparagus have some blackened bits, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the peas all over the asparagus, toss and squeeze on the juice of the 2 cut lemons. Return to the oven for 3 minutes.
• Serve on a big platter and sprinkle with the lemon salt, basil and parsley before serving.

BASQUE-STYLE HAM AND EGGS

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell peppers and garlic and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes and continue cooking until vegetables are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Arrange ham slices in heavy medium skillet. Pour wine over ham. Cover and simmer until ham is heated through, about 5 minutes. Arrange ham around edge of platter. Top with vegetable mixture. Cover and keep warm.
• Beat eggs with half and half in large bowl to blend. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggs and stir until cooked. Spoon eggs atop vegetables and ham. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

PIPERADE (BASQUE SCRAMBLED EGGS)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and cook onion until softened and beginning to turn golden. Add peppers and cook 15 minutes, until tender. Add tomatoes, garlic, basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer until tomatoes are pulpy. Thoroughly beat eggs in a small bowl, add to tomato mixture, and stir until they begin to thicken; remove from heat before they solidify. Serve on heated plates, topped with fried ham slice or slices, and surrounded with croutons.;

BASQUE EGGS WITH HAM, ASPARAGUS AND PEAS

Steps:

• Finely slice the garlic cloves and fry in 2 tbsp olive oil in a strong earthenware casserole dish.
• Cut the ham into cubes and add to the casserole dish - sauté for 5 mins over a low heat.
• Wash the asparagus pieces and remove any rough ends leaving only the tender shoots - cut these into pieces about 3 cms long and add to the casserole dish - sauté for a further 5 mins - season with salt.
• Add the peas to the casserole dish cover with a little water and simmer until the peas are almost cooked (5 mins or a little longer if using frozen peas).
• Finally break the eggs whole into the casserole dish and leave over the heat until the eggs are cooked.

ASPARAGUS WITH HAM AND EGGS

Steps:

• Break off tough ends of the asparagus and cook until tender, drain.
• Meanwhile chop the ham and egg finely.
• Put asparagus on a serving plate and garnish with the chopped ham and eggs.
• Serve with the melted butter in a jug on the side.

PEA, ASPARAGUS & HAM HOCK TART

Steps:

• First, make the pastry. Rub the flour, butter, mustard powder (if using), parmesan and 1 tsp fine salt together in a large bowl using your fingertips until the mixture resembles sand. Or, do this by pulsing the ingredients together in a food processor. Gradually add 4-6 tbsp cold water, pressing the mixture together until you have a soft dough. Briefly knead the dough until smooth.
• Roll the pastry out between two sheets of baking parchment until 3mm thick and large enough to line a 20 x 7cm loose-bottomed springform cake tin. Remove the top layer of parchment and invert the pastry into the tin, or drape it over the rolling pin and unravel it into the tin. Push the pastry into the base and up the side - there should be about 1½cm excess pastry that comes above the rim. Use your thumbs and index finger to crimp the excess around the edge. Chill for at least 1 hr 30 mins or overnight.
• Meanwhile, cook the peas and asparagus in a pan of boiling water for 3 mins, or just 2 mins for defrosted frozen peas. Immediately plunge into a bowl of ice-cold water to halt the cooking process, and leave to cool in the bowl for 2 mins. Drain and set aside until needed.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Prick the base of the chilled pastry case all over with a fork. Scrunch up a piece of baking parchment, then use it to line the case, leaving some overhanging. Fill the case all the way to the top with baking beans or uncooked dry beans or rice. Bake for 15 mins, then remove the beans and parchment and bake for 10-15 mins more until golden. Don't worry if it shrinks from the edge slightly. Leave to cool while you make the filling.
• Whisk together the eggs, double cream and crème fraîche, then mix in the herbs, spring onions, lemon zest and juice, parmesan and cooked peas. Season with sea salt and a good crack of black pepper, then pour the filling into the baked case. Sprinkle the shredded ham hock over, pressing it into the filling slightly, then arrange the asparagus spears on top.
• Turn the oven down to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and bake the quiche for 45-55 mins until golden on top with a slight wobble in the middle. Leave to cool for 20 mins in the tin, then serve warm or leave to cool completely and chill until needed. Will keep chilled for three days.
• When ready to serve, toss the pea shoots and mangetout with the olive oil, then pile in the middle of the quiche. Cut into wedges to serve.

PASTA PRIMAVERA WITH ASPARAGUS AND PEAS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.
• While the water is coming to a boil, slice snap peas and asparagus stems into 1/4-inch-thick pieces; leave asparagus tips whole.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add snap peas, asparagus, English peas and onion. Cook until vegetables are barely tender (but not too soft or mushy), 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Drop pasta into boiling water and cook until al dente (1 to 3 minutes for fresh pasta, more for dried pasta). Drain well and transfer pasta to a large bowl. Immediately toss pasta with vegetables, Parmigiano-Reggiano, crème fraîche and herbs. Season generously with salt and pepper, if needed.