Eatin’ in season

Spring is egg season on the farm. While eggs are certainly a year-round delight, the rich, golden yolk and distinct flavor of a farm-fresh egg shines best in spring, when hens enjoy a diet of new green plant growth and insects newly emerged from winter’s cold. This time of year, the differences between a farm egg and a supermarket egg, with its pale yolk and typical age of three to six weeks, are especially evident.

Eggs pair well with the deep greens of spring produce like kale, asparagus and leeks, all of which are just now coming into season at area farmers’ tailgate markets. These two recipes, one from a chef and one from a farmer, make the most of a delicious combination.

Poached eggs over sautéed greens

Recipe from Mary Lane, chef, Twig Restaurant at the Princess Anne Hotel. This is a wonderful way to serve healthy eggs, giving you a great-tasting way to receive the benefits of more vegetables in your diet. Even though this recipe calls for kale, feel free to use any type of greens to your liking that are in season.

Prep and cooking time: 20 minutes

List of ingredients:
4 free-range chicken eggs
1 tsp light vinegar (rice, apple cider, or white wine)
4 cups water (approx.)
1 cup thinly sliced leeks (about 1 large leek, white part only)
6 medium cloves garlic, sliced
4 cups chopped kale
3 (+1) T chicken broth
2 T fresh lemon juice
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions for cooking:
1. Bring water and vinegar to a fast simmer in a skillet large enough to fit eggs. Make sure there is enough water to cover eggs.
2. While water is coming to a simmer, heat 1 T broth in a separate non-stick 10- or 12-inch skillet. Sauté sliced leeks in broth over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add garlic slices and continue to sauté, stirring constantly for another minute.
3. Add kale, broth, and lemon juice, and simmer covered on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. When done, season with salt and pepper.
5. Poach eggs to desired doneness. This will take about 5 minutes, or just until the white is set and the yolk has filmed over. Remove from vinegar water with a slotted spoon and place on top of greens.
Serves 4.

Healthy cooking tips: Make sure you do not add any salt to the poaching water for the eggs. The salt has a tendency to dissolve the egg whites. By making sure there is enough water in the poaching pan to cover eggs, you avoid the eggs sticking to the bottom of the pan. You want the eggs to float while they cook. This also avoids breaking the eggs when you remove them with the slotted spoon. You may want to lay the spoon with the egg on a towel briefly after removing egg from water. This allows the towel to absorb some of the poaching water, and it won’t dilute the flavor of your greens.

Crustless Cane Creek asparagus quiche

Recipe from Glenda Ploeger, farmer, Cane Creek Asparagus & Co.

Directions for asparagus:
Chop one pound fresh asparagus (1 cup +/-) into 1/2-inch sized pieces. Leave the “heads” whole and reserve three for a final garnish. Slightly sauté the asparagus and one or two chopped, spring onions in 2 T olive oil. Set aside.

Mix together:
1/2 lb. cooked ham, any variety (1 cup +/-, diced)
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cup mayonnaise (OR milk OR heavy cream OR any combination)
4 oz. Swiss cheese, aged is nice! (1 cup +/-, shredded or diced)
3 eggs, beaten
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 T dry parsley or 1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Prepare for cooking:
Add asparagus and spring onions to the mixture and pour into an ungreased quiche dish or 9-inch pie plate. Arrange three asparagus spear “heads” on the top in the center! Place the quiche dish into a pan filled with one inch of hot water. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until light brown and well set in center and an inserted knife comes out clean. During the last 10 minutes of baking, sprinkle some shredded Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.

To unmold:
First loosen edges of chilled quiche and then slide a knife down the side and under to let air in and invert. This recipe can be made a day ahead. Barely reheat in microwave or try it cold! I love this recipe because the ingredients are so versatile in type and amounts—more or less, this or that—and it always comes out tasting wonderful! Baking this quiche like custard also avoids the fats from a traditional, pie-shell quiche.

[Peter Marks is a program coordinator for the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, which provides a list of Appalachian farmers’ markets on their Local Food Guide Web site: www.buyappalachian.org/tailgate.php
Peter Marks will give a “Local Food” presentation at Malaprop’s Bookstore on Friday, May 18, at 7 p.m. Other presenters for the evening include Laurey Masterton, owner of Laurey’s Catering in Asheville and author of Elsie’s Biscuits.]