Brunch Special Eggs With Asparagus And Chicken Recipes

EGGS BENEDICT WITH HOMEMADE HOLLANDAISE

Steps:

• For hollandaise sauce, in top of a double boiler or a metal bowl over simmering water, whisk egg yolks, water and lemon juice until blended; cook until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and temperature reaches 160°, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. Very slowly drizzle in warm melted butter, whisking constantly. Whisk in pepper. Transfer to a small bowl if necessary. Place bowl in a larger bowl of warm water. Keep warm, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve, up to 30 minutes., Place 2-3 in. of water in a large saucepan or skillet with high sides. Bring to a boil; adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Break 1 egg into a small bowl; holding bowl close to surface of water, slip egg into water. Repeat with 3 more eggs. , Cook, uncovered, 2-4 minutes or until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard. Using a slotted spoon, lift eggs out of water. Repeat with remaining 4 eggs., Top each muffin half with a slice of bacon, a poached egg and 2 tablespoons sauce; sprinkle with paprika. Serve immediately.

EGG-IN-A-HOLE WITH ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a rimmed sheet pan with 1 tablespoon melted butter.
• In a large, shallow dish, whisk together 1 egg, milk, 1/4 cup Parmesan, a large pinch of salt and pepper, and the remaining tablespoon melted butter. Add bread and let soak for about 2 minutes per side. The bread should be soft and soaked through, but not falling apart.
• Arrange soaked bread on one side of the prepared sheet pan. Pour any remaining soaking mixture from bowl onto the bread slices. Using a cookie cutter or a knife, carefully cut 2 (2 1/2-inch) holes in each slice of soaked bread, making 4 holes in total. Place the cut-out rounds alongside the bread slices on the pan.
• On the other side of the sheet pan, add the asparagus, half of the scallions (save the rest for garnish), thyme and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle asparagus with olive oil, tossing well, and spread into an even single layer.
• Bake until bread is golden on top, 10 minutes. If the asparagus is tender and browned after 10 minutes, use tongs to transfer the stalks to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Thick asparagus may need more time, in which case leave it in the pan for the next step.
• Using a spatula, flip the bread slices and cut-outs. Crack the remaining 4 eggs into the holes (the eggs may overflow a bit, and that is OK). Season eggs lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan on top of eggs and bread.
• Return pan to the oven and bake until eggs are barely set, about 5 to 7 minutes. The yolks and even some of the whites should jiggle slightly. (Note that the eggs will continue to cook on the sheet pan once out of the oven, so if you like runny yolks, err on the side of early removal.) However, if the egg whites are still translucent, bake for another minute or two.
• To serve, place egg toasts on plates, top each toast with half the asparagus (discarding the thyme sprigs) and garnish with reserved scallions.

CHICKEN AND ASPARAGUS STRATA (BRUNCH CASSEROLE)

Steps:

• Spray baking dish with Pam (9X13).
• Pick rotisserie chicken from the bone and set aside. Let cool.
• Finely chop 3 shallots and sauté in olive oil. Add shallots to chicken and let cool.
• Boil a small pot of water - cut the fresh asparagus up into 1 inch pieces. Add the asparagus pieces to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Strain and put asparagus pieces in an ice water bath to stop cooking. Remove asparagus and dry on a paper towel. Add to the chicken.
• Mix eggs and milk in separate dish (make sure eggs are well beaten).
• Add cubed bread, shredded cheese, chicken, shallots and asparagus to the egg and milk mixture. Make sure chicken, asparagus and shallots are all cooled before adding them to the egg mixture.
• Pour all ingredients into your baking dish
• Bake on 350 degrees for 45 minutes. It will puff up slightly, like a quiche. Let is set for about 15 minutes before serving. It will settle and fall a bit.

PAN-ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH A CRISPY FRIED EGG

Steps:

• 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 asparagus: 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 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. 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 eggs 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.

SKILLET-BAKED EGGS AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Add the asparagus and the scallions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is browned and tender.
• Whisk together the eggs, 4 tablespoons of the herbs, and cream. Whisk in Parmesan, salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over asparagus and place the skillet in the oven.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, until set, but still slightly jiggly in the center. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before serving. It is best warm, not hot.
• Squeeze one or two lemon wedges over it, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and remaining herbs. Cut into wedges.