Asparagus Eggs Mornay

Ingredients:
Alstede Fresh Parsley, chopped
2-3 strips of Bacon, cooked, drained, & chopped
10-12 Alstede Fresh asparagus spears
Olive oil
1-2 slices of bread toasted & cut into small wedges
2/3 c Milk, heated.
1 T Butter
1 T Flour
Salt
1/3 c Gruyere Cheese
2 T Parmesan Cheese
2-4 Farm Fresh Eggs

Instructions:
Prepare the bacon and chopped parsley for garnish & set aside.
Clean and trim 10-12 spears of asparagus. Steam asparagus until it is almost fork tender, about 4-5 minutes, season with a little salt to taste. Set the oven to 350.
Place the asparagus on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Keep asparagus warm in the oven.
Set up a deep skillet to poach eggs. Fill the skillet with 1” of water. Set the pan over high heat.

Meanwhile, Prepare the sauce: Heat the milk for 1 minute in the microwave. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour to the butter. Mix to create a roux. Mix in a pinch of salt. Add the warmed milk. Stir until milk starts to thicken. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheeses. Warm the plates if possible.

Check the water in the skillet. When water is boiling, add a 1/2 t of salt and 1-2 T white wine. Lower the heat to simmer. Break eggs into small bowls or cups. Gently turn the eggs into the water spacing them so that they remain separate. Simmer for 2 minutes for a very runny egg, 3-4 for more cooked yolk. Longer will hard cook the yolk. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon. Blot the spoon on a paper towel to be sure that all the water is removed.

While the eggs are cooking, place the sauce back onto very low heat and stir to be sure all the cheese is melted, and sauce does not stick to the bottom or burn.
Criss cross the spears of the asparagus onto the warm plates. Place an egg or two on top of the asparagus in the center. Drizzle the sauce over the spears and the eggs. Sprinkle and garnish with
chopped parsley, bacon, or sauteed chopped ham if using. Place toast pieces of choice around the plate
Serve with a little extra parmesan, optional. Serves 2-3.

Vegetarian-Vegan Option: eliminate the bacon or ham, replace with vegan bacon, vegan egg substitute can be scrambled. Vegan cheeses may be substituted to accommodate dietary needs.

Recipe and photo by Jenn Borrealo, Alstede Farms Culinary & Educational Specialist