The Sunday Times Magazine - UK (2022-04-24)

Above: asparagus

and brown butter

scrambled eggs with

soft herbs. Opposite:

griddled asparagus

with coconut yoghurt

Asparagus and

brown butter

scrambled eggs

with soft herbs

Scrambled eggs and asparagus
is a classic combination, and
this version amps up the
indulgence with a hit of nutty
brown butter. You could take
it one step further by adding
a little truffle paste to the eggs,
if you have any. This makes
for a wonderful brunch or
light spring lunch.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 4 medium eggs


• 40g salted butter,
  cut into cubes


• A squeeze of lemon juice


• Thick slices of sourdough
  or rye bread, for toast


• 300g bunch of asparagus,
  woody stalks removed


• A handful of mixed soft
  herbs (such as parsley, dill,

chives and tarragon), finely

chopped, plus a few picked

leaves, to serve

• Sumac, to serve

01 Boil the kettle and warm

two plates in a low oven.

Crack the eggs into a bowl,

season with salt and pepper

and use a fork to lightly whisk

until just scrambled.

02 Heat the butter in a frying

pan over a medium-high

heat, stirring or swirling the

pan until it’s melted. Keep

stirring until it starts to sizzle

and spit, then turn down the

heat slightly as it foams up

and bubbles. Keep cooking

and stirring until it settles

back down and turns from

golden to a deeper brown

and smells nutty — this will

take 3-5 min.

03 Once browned, remove

from the heat and pour

off a tablespoon of the

butter into a bowl. Stir a

squeeze of lemon into the

reserved butter to pour over

the asparagus at the end.

04 Toast the bread, butter

the slices and keep warm. Pour

the boiling water into a pan

and salt well. Blanche the

asparagus for 3-4 min,

depending on thickness, until

tender, then carefully drain

and refresh under cold running

water to stop it cooking.

05 Put the butter pan back

over the heat, this time on a

low setting, and pour in the

whisked eggs. Use a wooden

spoon to gently stir, scattering

in the chopped herbs and

cooking them slowly until

silky. I prefer my eggs on the

creamy side, but take them as

far as you prefer.

06 Divide the toast between

plates and top with the eggs,

then arrange the asparagus

on top and spoon over the

lemony brown butter. Garnish

with the picked herbs and a

sprinkling of sumac.

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56 • The Sunday Times Magazine