Waiting for the weekend.
If I don’t work, I rarely make plans for the weekend.
After a busy week, I let the weekend take shape little by little, deciding at a time – and depending on the weather – if I get up early or stay in bed longer.
After breakfast, which at least on weekends we do at home, we decide what to do.
On our-unorganized-weekends, there are some routines we love.
Here’s what we do: “Sometimes…”
Tour of the local producers’ market.
Brunch for two in the downtown and, sometimes before, sometimes after brunch, we spend some time in a downtown’s bookstore, especially when it’s cold.
Sofa, among books and newspapers while Emma sleeps happily between us.
Very long aperitif in Piazza Santo Stefano, perhaps one of the places in the city center that I love most and I consider “my neighborhood” living nearby.
Countryside. We have an old house surrounded by a big garden. Between inside and outside there’s always something to do. For many years we moved there during the summertime, looking after our vegetable garden. Now we don’t go there very often anymore, but it’s still a special place for us. And who knows that one day we won’t be able to start again with the vegetable garden and the small orchard. In the meantime, the large garden, especially during the good season, lends itself to rustic, often improvised, dejeuner sur l’herbe (improvised but with love, I can’t tell you the surprise when I ended up in the newspaper with the organization of a picnic on the grass).
But not today.
The notification of a message on my cell says brunch in the country. At our home, if possible. I smile but I’m not surprised. Bolognese people like to invade the country houses of their friends who, alternately, host breakfasts, barbecues, aperitifs, parties.
And while I think that the house carries on its shoulders dust and humidity of the long winter closure, I imagine a table moved in the garden, plates and glasses, many chairs and a simple plate, to enjoy together the first warmth and the air scented with flowers. Sometimes we set the table in the garden just for us because having lunch with the feet on the grass has a special taste.
Appointment at 12, I don’t have much time!
In season.
Not having much time, I opt for something that simplifies my life. I still have in mind when I forced my guests to have a very late lunch because I hadn’t calculated correctly the timing of the preparations. What a disaster. Now I’m more careful and better organized.
That’s why I choose one dish. Few ingredients, in season. A single course that includes dish and side. All in one.
Now asparagus is in season and gets ready quickly and, after the cold of winter, the happy hens start laying plenty of eggs again. Poached egg and asparagus is a great yes. But instead of cooking asparagus in water, I want to bake them in the oven (but they’re also great on the grill).
Eggs and asparagus are an almost irresistible pair. Ça va sans dire. The dish is decided. Simple to make, tasty, in season.
I’ll buy asparagus and eggs on the way. I have a homemade sliced bread I need to remember to take. Maybe I’ll add some crispy bacon. What if I cook poached egg?
How does a one dish work? In the serving plate, single or to put in the middle of the table, put everything you want to serve. In this case, each plate consists of 1 or 2 slices of sliced bread, asparagus wrapped in bacon and both baked, 1 poached egg.
Have you ever done that? No? No fear, you’ll find a chef’s secret in the directions. the poached egg will have no more secrets from you.
But if you prefer, you can make scrambled or fried eggs.
Monica
Food Tip
If you have vegetarian friends, take care to cook the asparagus with and without bacon in two different pans.
Poached Egg
The name refers to the type of cooking where the ingredients are cooked immersed in a boiling liquid. This is why the egg is also called poached, because it must be gently immersed in hot but not boiling water.
I mastered this cooking by attending a course dedicated to the basics of cooking, I like to study and improve. I would like to acquire the skills of a cook even if I don’t want to work in the kitchen of a restaurant. Maybe I could enjoy a short experience but not working there. Going back to the egg, I thought it was a very difficult thing and instead I discovered that it is a simple thing. In the process I’ll explain everything, even a trick.
Most people use vinegar, I prefer lemon juice, but you can use apple or wine vinegar.
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Poached Egg and Baked Asparagus With Bacon Recipe
Ingredients
serves 4
2 bunches of asparagus
4 eggs
organic lemon, olive oil, a pinch of salt, everything to taste.
thinly sliced smoked bacon, 70g
Directions
Baked asparagus and bacon
Wash and dry the asparagus. Remove 2-3 cm of stem from the bottom.
Put the asparagus on a baking tray lightly greased with olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt then with your hands or with a brush, but I suggest you do it with your hands so as not to ruin the delicate asparagus’ heads, massage gently to season the asparagus.
Wrap a slice of bacon around the stalk of some asparagus, leaving only the head free.
Cook in a preheated oven (180C degrees, static function) for about 12 minutes.
Do the cooking test with a wooden stick: if it enters the thicker part of the stem without difficulty, they are ready.
If you use asparagine, which is much thinner than normal asparagus, reduce the cooking time but always check the stem with the wooden stick.
Poached egg
Prepare as many small bowls as there are eggs to cook and on the bottom of each one put a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon or vinegar (I use lemon as in the French method).
Break the egg taking care not to break the yolk and put the whole egg in the bowl. Repeat for each egg.
If you think it’s too difficult, you can cover each bowl with film, add salt and lemon, add 1 egg per bowl and close the film as if to form a bag.
Take a pan not too big and fill it half full of water.
Bring it to the boil. Then turn it down a bit.
Using the handle of a wooden spoon, mix in the center, quickly, to create a small vortex where to put the egg. You don’t have to create a tsunami, okay? When you see the vortex forming, keep going with it and stop the moment you pour the egg into the water. Don’t pour it from above, but accompany it as you put it in the water.
If you make a little bag, you can cook more than one egg at a time by soaking the film in hot water.
Cook for 3 minutes without touching it, then fish it out using a broom and put it on a plate.
Now compose the dish. Don’t forget the bread.
