Why wait for the weekend to brunch when you could bite into this amazing asparagus benedict now? This gorgeous display of poached eggs, asparagus and hollandaise is brought to you by food blog Local Milk. Benedict is a quintessential brunch staple that shows itself in many forms but this beauty is something that you can recreate right at home. Not home during for weekday brunch? No problem, this timeless dish should be enjoyed day or night, whenever the craving strikes.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
For Quinoa Nettle Cakes
adapted from love & olive oil
1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1 bunch nettles
1/3 cup green olives, chopped
1/2 medium shallot, minced
1/2 cup bread crumbs
juice of 1 lemon + zest
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (or more like 1 tsp if you’re me)
1 Tbsp honey
2 eggs
For Lovage Mint Aioli
2 Tbsp finely minced lovage (can substitute fennel fronds)
1-2 Tbsp finely minced mint (less if you prefer a less strong flavor)
1 egg yolk
1 large clove garlic minced into a paste with a 3 finger pinch of kosher salt
juice of half a lemon (or more to taste)
a little room temperature water for adjusting consistency as needed
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup good olive oil
*you can invert the oil amounts if you prefer a stronger olive oil flavor, which I sometimes do for Assembling
1 bunch thick asparagus
4 slices country ham, fried crispy (proscuitto, serrano ham, or pancetta can be substituted)
a mix of spicy baby greens
4 eggs, poached
1-2 Tbsp distilled white vinegar for poaching
To find out how to make this recipe, visit Local Milk
