i’ve come to realize that asparagus is a fine vegetable.

so, when this recipe showed up in my google reader, i was intrigued.  intrigued, but not completely sold, especially on topping it with a poached egg & toast, but i bookmarked it anyway.& on a weeknight, when the mister & i were in search of a quick, easy & healthy dinner, we gave it a shot.  a shot that also included trying to make poached eggs for the first time, but fear not!  as is always the case with basic kitchen fundamentals, our trusty joy of cooking cookbook came to the rescue.  the eggs turned out great & were a damn good complement to our creamy, kryptonite green soup.

try it for yo’self!

serves 4

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 leek, washed thoroughly, trimmed & finely chopped (white & light green parts only!)
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 lb asparagus, woody ends removed (just snap them off!)
4 cups chicken stock (or veggie)
4 eggs
1 tablespoon white vinegar
a large pinch of salt
4 slices baguette
salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1.  in a dutch oven, or heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.  add the celery, onion & leek.  sweat for 10-12 minutes, until soft, but don’t let them brown.

2.  while the veggies are going, chop off the tips of the asparagus & set them aside.  chop the rest of the stalks & add to the pot, once the other veggies have softened.  pour in the chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover & cook for 20 minutes.

3.  carefully ladle some of the soup into a blender.  blend until smooth & continue to do small batches this way, until all the soup is smooth & creamy.

4.  return the blended soup to the pot & add the reserved asparagus tips.  season with salt, if necessary.  simmer for 7-10 more minutes, until the asparagus tips are tender.

5.  while the soup is simmering, bring 2-4 inches of water to just barely simmering & prepare a plate with a layer or two of paper towels.  add the vinegar & generous pinch of salt.  break one egg into a small bowl or cup.  take the edge of the cup almost level with the water & SUPER gently slide the egg in.  do this with the other three.  simmer until the whites are set, about 3 minutes.  remove the eggs with a slotted spoon & let drain on the prepared plate.

6.  also, toss the baguette slices in the toaster, or drizzle with olive oil & slide under the broiler, until they turn a lovely light golden brown.

7.  ladle the soup into serving bowls, place the toasted baguette in the center & top with poached egg.  dust with a fresh crack of ground pepper & serve.  mmmmm mmmmm mmmmmm.

from jamie oliver via serious eats & the joy of cooking