Let Them Eat Healthy: White Bean, Grilled Asparagus & Fried Egg Stacks with Bacon Crumbles

This was one of the best dinners I have ever made! The creamy egg yolk broke over the grilled, tender, but still crunchy, spring asparagus and gigantic, tangy white beans, made for a plate full of perfection. Every once in a while I got a burst of salty bacon which actually made me say out loud...oh yes! Seriously, one of the best and easiest dinners you will ever eat! I also snipped some fresh chives over top that I grow right in my windowsill for an occasional sharp onion bite. You could easily eat this meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner, I could eat it for all three, ha ha!

This dish was inspired by a meal we had on our honeymoon in NYC. Almond is a Mediterranean, farm-to-table restaurant that has a cute patio and wonderful food. We have been there a couple of times; when we bought my estate wedding ring and again on our honeymoon. Both times the food was fresh and the service was wonderful. On our honeymoon, we ordered an asparagus appetizer that was topped with a poached egg and drizzled with hollandaise sauce. It was creamy, crunchy and oh so perfect! All the ingredients came from within 100 miles of the restaurant and you could taste the difference. My dish omits the hollandaise and adds in some gigantic white beans that still give you that luxurious creamy texture that hollandaise has, without the fat. I also added on some crispy bacon, just a touch. This created another crispy texture and made it feel like a meal rather than a side dish or appetizer.

This recipe serves 4, but can be doubled easily.

Ingredients

1 Cup white beans in vinaigrette, I use Divina, if you don't have these or can't find them any quality white bean would work.*

1 Bunch of spring asparagus, these are the tender, small ones found in April & May.

4 Farm eggs, or organic ones if you don't have a local farm who sells eggs near you.

4 Pieces of pasture raised, pork bacon

4 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped.

1 Tbsp olive oil

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste.

Directions

Heat up a grill pan on high heat. Prepare asparagus by taking one and bending it till it breaks, they naturally break where the stalk is the most tender. Cut all the stalks to match this one. In a large bowl mix the stalks with olive oil, salt and pepper and coat them evenly. Place them, in an even layer on the grill pan. Cook for a few minutes on each side till they are slightly browned and heated through. Remove them to a plate and cover with foil.

While the asparagus is cooking heat a saute pan to high heat and cook the four pieces of bacon till crispy. Crumble and place under foil with the asparagus to stay hot.

In the same saute pan, if its one you trust not to stick lower the heat to medium and cook the four eggs for a few minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. Salt and pepper them while they cook. I like to cover them immediately because it allows the whites to set faster. If it is not a pan you trust, take the bacon grease and put it in a nonstick pan to cook the eggs.

To serve spoon 1/4 cup of the white beans onto each plate. Top with 1/4 of the asparagus on each plate. Top this with an egg on each and sprinkle with the bacon and chives. I like to break the yolk and let it create a sauce over everything, pure bliss!

*If you cannot find the divina marinated beans near you or do not want to purchase them online you can make your own version, it won't taste exactly the same but will still be very delicious. Buy a very good quality white bean, and mix it in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil and juice of 1 lemon, season with salt and pepper to taste. This will create a very similar flavor profile to the ones I buy.