Spring Pea Crostini With Poached Eggs Shaved Asparagus Salad 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.

PEA PESTO CROSTINI

Steps:

• For the pea pesto: Pulse together the peas, garlic, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
• For the crostini: Preheat a stovetop griddle or grill pan on medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the sliced bread with olive oil and grill until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the bread to a clean surface and spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of the prepared pesto on each slice.
• Top with tomato halves and serve.
• *Cook's note: If you don't have day-old bread on hand, you can dry out fresh bread by putting the slices in a preheated 300 degree F oven until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes.

SPRING PEA AND RICOTTA CROSTINI WITH FAVA BEANS

Steps:

• Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil and set up a bowl of well-salted ice water. Drop the peas in the boiling water, let the water return to a boil and cook the peas for 2 minutes. Scoop the peas out of the water and plunge them immediately into the ice water. When the peas are cool, remove them from the ice water and reserve. Repeat this process with the fava beans. When the favas are cool, peel off the tough outer layer and reserve the beans.
• In a food processor, pulse the peas to make a coarse paste. In a large bowl, combine the pea paste, ricotta and parmigiano; mix well, season with kosher salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) and taste to make sure it's delicious. In a separate bowl, toss the favas with the olive oil, mint, lemon zest and a pinch of kosher salt. Set aside.
• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the bread slices with olive oil and grill, flipping, until lightly charred, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Spread about 1 tablespoon of the pea-ricotta mixture onto each crostini. Top with the favas, a final shaving of parmigiano, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.

CROSTINI WITH ROASTED GARLIC PEA PURéE AND ROASTED ASPARAGUS ANDERSEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cut 1/2-inch off top of garlic head and put head on sheet of foil. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over garlic and wrap tightly in foil. Roast garlic in middle of oven until very soft, 40 to 50 minutes, and cool.
• While garlic is cooling, arrange baguette slices in one layer on a large baking sheet and brush lightly on each side with additional oil. Bake slices in middle of oven until crisp and pale golden, 5 to 10 minutes, and transfer to rack.
• Squeeze roasted garlic from head into a food processor and add peas and salt and pepper to taste. Blend pea mixture until coarsely puréed. On baking sheet toss asparagus pieces with remaining tablespoon oil and sesame seeds and arrange in one layer. Roast asparagus in middle of oven, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 10 minutes.
• Spread toasts with pea purée and divide asparagus among them.

ASPARAGUS, GREEN PEA, AND EGG SALAD CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool baking sheet on rack. Set aside.
• Spread asparagus pieces on parchment-lined small baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
• While asparagus is baking, blanch peas. Fill a small saucepan half full with water. Bring to a boil. Add peas and let cook 1 minute until peas are bright green. Immediately drain peas in a strainer and run cold water over them. Shake off excess water and set aside.
• To make egg salad: cut hard-boiled eggs in half. Separate egg whites and yolks. Chop egg whites into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside. Put the egg yolks in a small-medium bowl. Add mayonnaise to the egg yolks and mix with a fork until smooth. Add salt and pepper and mix. Add chopped egg whites, peas, and cooled asparagus. Stir.
• Wash and gently pat dry basil leaves with a cloth or paper towel. To assemble, put 2 medium basil leaves on each baguette toast. Using two small spoons, place 1 to 2 tablespoons egg salad in the middle of the toast on top of the basil so the basil shows at either end. Garnish with smaller basil leaves.
• These crostini are best made just before serving, but can be made up to 2 hours in advance and kept refrigerated before serving.
• Tips
• Substitute frozen peas for fresh. Follow the recipe to blanch them.
• Try other garnishes on top of the egg salad: dried basil, paprika, red chili flakes, grated Parmesan cheese.
• Nutrition Information
• Serving size: 1 serving
• Calories: 123
• Fat: 6g (41.8% calories from fat)
• Cholesterol: 45mg
• Sodium: 213mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 14g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 4g