I am a self-taught cook. My journey has been full of many learning experiences, both successful and disastrous. As with anything, my cooking is a work in progress and I strive to improve by reading, watching professional chefs, and working hard to develop my skills. I try to incorporate new skills and methods into my cooking every day. 

In a recent post, I talked about the importance of peeling asparagus. I am going to go over this again because while it is an agonizing chore, it truly changes the taste and appearance of your asparagus. 

This original recipe instructs you to snap off the ends of the asparagus, but I respectfully disagree. By doing this, you could end up with most of the stalk in the garbage– what a waste! Instead, cut off the ends about 1 to 1 1/2 inches from the bottom and save as much of the stalk as you can.

There are some chefs who think that peeling the asparagus depends on the thickness of the stalk.  My person philosophy? If you have a thick stalk, then it definitely should be peeled, but if you have a very thin stalk, lightly peel it just enough to get those bulky knobs off.

While I’m discussing boring (but useful!) chores, I promised to share with you the best method to peeling eggs. My new trick is to place them in a bowl of ice water for a minute, then take them out and peel them while they are still warm. If you find the shells are sticking, place the egg back into the water, take it out and continue to peel. When you are finished peeling, place it back into the ice bath to stop the cooking process and remove any stray pieces of shell.  In addition, if the egg yolks are even the slightest bit green, they are overcooked. Try to cut down your cooking time by a minute or two.

With these two tips, you are fully prepared to make this next dish, so called because the grated egg resembles mimosa flowers. A softer yolk works best, so reduce your cooking time by a minute or two. This elegant side dish is not only delicious, but beautiful too. The asparagus is cooked to perfection, each stalk doubly sweet since removing the harder outer layer. The capers add delicious salty goodness and tang. The eggs are the perfect topping, and they add another depth of flavor and smooth texture. Put this on your “short on time” list– it is a perfect side that will complement any main summer course.

This recipe is courtesy of Ottolenghi and will serve 4 people who will welcome the light, fresh taste of this gorgeous dish.

Ingredients for Asparagus Mimosa:

2 eggs
2 bunches of medium asparagus
2 tablespoons good quality olive oil
2 teaspoons small capers, drained
1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
Black pepper

Gently place your eggs in a saucepan of boiling water and simmer for 9 minutes.

Remove the eggs from the pan and immerse them in a large bowl of cold water.

After a few minutes, take them out of the water and leave to cool down completely.

Peel the eggs and grate them on a coarse cheese grater.

Cut ends of 1 to 1 1/2 inches.

Gently peel the asaragus to cut off bulky knobs.

Place the spears in a large pot of boiling water and cook for 3 minutes, or until tender.

It may take slightly longer if they are thick.

Drain and place into ice water to sstop cooking.

Take asparagus out and let them come to room temperature.

Drizzle the oil over the asparagus and sprinkle with the capers, salt and some pepper.

Top with the grated egg, staying close to the center of the stalks so that the tips and bases remain visible.

It’s that simple!