The Ultimate Spring Lunch

Oh, I just love this time of year.  Yesterday, I ate an entire pound of asparagus.  No joke.  I bought it on Saturday at Wishwell Farms at the North Market and ate it all in about one sitting.  If there's one thing I love the most, and must eat as soon as the local asparagus comes in, it is asparagus with a fried egg on top.  Add some toast & morels and for the love of crumb cake, it's delicious. 

I loved a comment I received on my "Monk Cheeks & Morels on Toast" - someone wrote "things on toast is one of my favorite food groups!"  I concur!

Morels have fluctuated in price this year, and the local morels are finally available.  Today's morels came from Hocking and other Ohio counties, and were purchased at Weiland's for $55 a pound.  I bought $8 worth and it was the perfect amount for one.  They only come around once a year, after all. 

This lunch comes together in a few easy steps - it probably takes about 15 minutes total.  It would make a great appetizer, as well.

Asparagus & Morels on Toast with Fried Eggs - serves 1

Nice large slice of sourdough bread
1/2 pound asparagus
olive oil
salt & pepper
1 tbsp butter
small bunch of chives, chopped into thin batons
large handful morel mushrooms or another flavorful mushroom such as shitake, washed in several changes of water until the water is bug-free
1 tbsp white wine
2 delicious eggs - I used 2 Silo eggs; one special dark, and one americaura (also purchased from Weiland's; they come in a great magenta egg carton; they'll be available soon at the Clintonville Farmer's Market)

Preheat oven to 495 degrees.  Toast the bread and set aside.  Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and place the spears in a baking pan and drizzle with good extra virgin olive, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss with tongs to coat and roast for about 10-15 minutes, or until browned and slightly softened.  In the meantime, melt the butter and a pinch of olive oil over medium high heat in a small saute pan.  Add the morels and toss to coat; add the wine and half of the chives and cook over high heat until the wine has reduced and there is very little liquid left in the pan.  Heat a small nonstick pan over medium-high heat and fry the eggs a few minutes on one side and flip, cooking to desired doneness.  The runny yolks will make a lovely sauce which will combine with the asparagus and morel juices and make the toast savory and delicious.

Assemble: place the toast on a plate and drizzle with good extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Top with a layer of asparagus, then the fried eggs, and then top with the morels.  Garnish with the remaining chives.  Heaven.  Spring heaven on a plate.