Sparrowgrass and Happy Eggs
african vanielje on Jul 11 2008 at 11:09 am | Filed under: 30 second suppers, bread, sandwich, seasonal cooking
Seasonal eating, normally such a pleasure in the Somerset countryside, is proving a little disappointing this month. Hold on, that’s not entirely true. I think it is just a little disappointing as my head and heart are still weighted down and groaning with the feast of last summer’s bounty, and the lack is not actual, just comparative.
The fact that this summer seems to be a little hesitant about making an appearance and this last week we seem to have gone straight to late autumn has me a trifle anxious. Generally I love each season. The acid green newness of Spring, the lazy, bee-buzzing air of the kitchen garden laden with promise in mid-summer, the late summer apple harvest with fresh pressed apple juice martinis lubricating the long, light evenings, and the first chill rains of Autumn, giving me an excuse to slow cook one of the pot roasts or stews I love so much.
The anxiety comes from feeling that I have only just sat down to the summer course, I have barely tasted it and the overzealous waiter is whipping it away to replace it with early Autumn. Wait! I’m not done! My appetite is barely whetted, let alone sated. And when it comes to food I’m afraid I’m far too greedy to sit back calmly and politely pronounce that I’ve had an elegant sufficiency.
I want my summer course and I want all of it. In fact, I want seconds. So when I saw some asparagus at the market I pounced on it. No it was not local, but at least it was English. And Suffolk is not so VERY far away. I brought it home and made one of my favourite summer meals: Steamed asparagus on toasted olive sourdough, with poached egg and a fresh basil aioli.
The ‘happy eggs’ so dubbed by my daughter because they are double-yolkers from the free range chickens belonging to her schoolteacher’s in-laws. Still confused? Well the chickens must be happy to keep producing double yolks mom! It’s like a present for us. Happy eggs from happy chickens. And the little bit of sunshine that lit up my kitchen when we sat down to this meal certainly made me a happy woman. Or it may have been the sublime combo of garlic, basil, slightly crunchy asparagus and the perfectly poached egg yolk blanketing the whole…
For the recipe check here, and I hope you are getting a little summer sunshine wherever you are.
I sympathize about the need for summer - an early autumn feels like one has been unfairly forced to skip a delicious course at what should be a leisurely dinner! Your asparagus are a perfect ode to summer, though - I adore asparagus, and your recipe is so clever! What a delightful combination of flavors and textures!
Astra, thank you, and to the other commenters, I’m sorry, I’ve just done it again. Zapped you along with spam for everything from Egyptian jewellery to other more sleazy stuff! Aaargh! Please come back or I won’t be able to visit you as I don’t know who you are! I hate spam
Our spirng seems to be fleeting, too this year! Add in a, very rare, late frost… We have no fruit: Not a pear, plum, peach or apple in site. Frankly, I’m getting rather fed up with these last 2 summers.
On the other hand, your asparagus and eggs looks wonderful!
What a sweet name - and how apt!! How I would love to experience and Engllsh autumn and how badly I would love to live in the English countryside for a year. Be so grateful for the mountains of recipes, food and dishes that the English can give you.
You have such a stunning site - and I love the poetry in your writing. Seriously though, I think English country food has seen such a revival that it makes me green with envy since I just can’t seem to be everywhere I want to be quickly enough! (And I only want to be where food is good!)
Jacoba, I remember reading years ago about a ‘Sparrowgrass auction’ every year in some little English village. I would love to go to that. I agree with you, the English are getting pride in their food back. But I believe that a little passion and TLC makes food everywhere worthwhile. What I wouldn’t give to spend a foodie summer in the Italian countryside. Thanks for your lovely words about my site. It’s always nice to know you are making someone smile.
Katie, I agree, and am hoping our orchard fruits will kick in later this summer. I will be soo bummed if they don’t.
Ohh we’ve missed out on the asparagus so far and I love it the way you describe it with eggs, delicious!
We’ve had plenty of strawberries though and some raspberries so it feels like summer sort of, despite the rain and cloud.
All I can say about that is thank goodness my mother has an aga - both to keep the house warm and to dry the mountains of washing produced by her grandchildren while we’ve been here!
Kit I was at the taste of Bath fetival last weekend working and the final day was monsoon weather. We had to trade and then pack up in rain that was falling horizontally and my entire car still smells like wet dog 3 days later. I could do with an aga.
if we didn’t have summer, i would honestly depressed! my husband is english and every sunday when he talks to the family - one in the south, one in the north- i do admit i have been feeling a bit bad when we get the weather rundown!
regardless ,this meal would bring the sun out. this is some of my favorite flavors wrapped into one.
“Happy eggs” - that’s priceless. This looks divine - especially those perfectly poached eggs…