Chef Marie-Aude Rose: Soft Boiled Eggs Recipe

Soft Boiled Eggs & Green Asparagus

INGREDIENTS

6 eggs
12 medium-size green asparagus
2 medium zucchini (grated)
1 cup very fine bread crumbs
1 clove garlic
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
8 slices of smoked uncured bacon
2 tablespoon fresh green pesto (store-bought or homemade)
1 tablespoon mint leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup heavy cream
4oz unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS

Start with boiling salted water in a large pot. Prepare a bowl with cold water and ice cubes. Pre-heat the oven @ 400F.
Peel the asparagus. Align them on a cutting board and even out the ends by cutting about 1 inch from them.
Cook the asparagus in the boiling water for 2.5 minutes. Remove the asparagus from the boiling water but don’t throw the water away. Refresh them in the iced water for 5 minutes then pat them dry on a towel.
Delicately place the eggs in the boiling water and cook for 5.5 minutes. Remove the water and run cold water over them for 3 minutes.
Prepare a bowl of cold water. Start peeling the eggs by hitting them all over gently on a hard surface. Place the peeled eggs in the cold water. I purposely asked you to get 6 eggs because I know 1 or 2 will break. We want them to be perfectly shaped, unbroken.
Place the slices of bacon between 2 sheets of parchment paper on an oven tray. Place some weight over them (an oven proof dish or a second tray or some beans). Cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Put aside.

When you are 15 minutes from serving your guests, do this:
Melt the butter in a medium pan with ½ a garlic clove, add the bread crumbs and 2 pinches of salt. Place your peeled eggs on the buttered bread crumbs and start basting them with it. This process should last about 5 minutes on low heat. At the end you want each egg to be reheated and coated with the breadcrumbs as a thin layer.
Add the lemon juice to the heavy cream with 1 pinch of salt.
Heat the olive oil in a small pan with ½ the garlic clove, cook the grated zucchini for 2 minutes. Put aside.
Reheat the asparagus in a large pan with the pesto
It is time to start dressing your dish: start with the warm zucchini on the bottom then lay the asparagus flat over, place the hot coated 4 eggs on the asparagus and surround all of it with the cream and some mint leaves. Finish with the crispy bacon to place in between the eggs. Crack some pepper over and add fleur de sel over the eggs.

BON APPÉTIT!