Description
Warm bread salad or Panzanella made with asparagus and green garlic with lemon zest, tarragon and chevre, topped off with a poached egg.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/2 pound day-old bread, cut into small bite-sized cubes
- splash of white vinegar
- 4 large eggs
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cup chopped and washed green garlic *see ingredient note
- 1 cup Imagine no-chicken broth or reduced sodium-chicken broth
- 1 1-lb bunch asparagus, woody ends snapped off and stalks cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice plus 4 lemon wedges for serving
- 1/2 cup crumbled fresh chevre
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spread bread on a large baking sheet. Bake until dried out but not hard, about 8 minutes. Alternatively, leave the cubed bread out on a baking sheet for the day to allow it to stale on its own.
- Bring several inches of water plus a splash of white vinegar to a boil over high heat in a wide sauté pan or deep skillet. Crack eggs one at a time into a small ramekin and then slide into the water. Keep an eye on the boil/simmer of the water. The temperature of the water should drop from the cold eggs. When it comes back up to a simmer, reduce the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer. If the water is boiling, reduce heat. Cook eggs 4 minutes for runny yolks. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with a clean towel.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green garlic and cook, stirring often until the garlic is softened and starting to brown slightly. Add broth, asparagus and salt and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover the skillet and allow asparagus to cook until crisp tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully pour into a large bowl.
- Add the tarragon, lemon zest and 1 teaspoon lemon juice to the bowl and stir to combine. Add the bread and toss to coat. Divide the bread salad among 4 wide bowls. Top with the chevre and poached eggs. Serve with fresh pepper on top and lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
*ingredient note: Green garlic is tender immature garlic bulbs available only in the spring. You’ll need about ½ bunch of green garlic for this recipe. Clean and wash green garlic as you would leeks. Discard tough woody dark green parts. Slice pale green and white parts lengthwise, and then wash in a bowl of cold water. Drain and dry on a plate lined with a paper towel. For step-by-step photos of this process see this post I did about cutting and cleaning leeks. If you cannot find green garlic, substitute 1 ½ cups chopped washed leeks plus 1 clove garlic, minced.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stove Top/Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups panzanella plus 1 egg
- Calories: 539
- Sugar: 2 g
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 24 g