How to make butter-roasted asparagus with poached eggs and chorizo

The short but sweet season of these green spears started on 28 April, so now’s the time to get them at their best

Quick to whip up, this versatile dish is great at any time of day (Daylesford)

If ever spring was captured in a dish, this is it. It wonderfully combines three ingredients that go together like no other.

Chorizo, fresh organic eggs and new-season asparagus – a trio made even better when served with crispy chunks of sourdough.

Quick to make, it is a must for a springtime brunch or as an easy lunch or supper.

Butter-roasted asparagus with poached eggs and chorizo

Time: 15 mins
Serves 2

50g cooking chorizo, diced
½ tsp rapeseed oil
15g butter
8 spears of asparagus, woody stalks removed and sliced in half at an angle
2 spring onions, thinly sliced at an angle
2 organic eggs
1 slice sourdough, torn into chunks
Pea shoots or roughly chopped fresh parsley to garnish

Start by roughly chopping the chorizo into 2cm pieces and adding it to a pan over a medium heat with the rapeseed oil. Fry for a few minutes or until the chorizo starts to render some of its fat. Add half of the butter to the pan with the asparagus and a good pinch of salt.

Cook gently for 1-2 minutes, tossing the pan every now and then before adding the spring onion. Cook for a further 1-2 minutes until the asparagus is just tender.

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil, add a splash of vinegar and then turn down to a simmer. Gently crack in the eggs. Place a lid on the pan, remove from the heat and set aside for 4 minutes.

Remove the asparagus, spring onion and chorizo from the pan and divide between two plates.

Return the pan to the heat with the remaining butter and torn sourdough. Fry for 1-2 minutes or until the bread has soaked up all the juices and is lovely and crispy. Scatter over each plate, pouring over any of the remaining pan juices too.

When the eggs are ready, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, allowing any excess water to drain off. Place one onto each plate, scatter over your pea shoots or parsley and dive in.

Recipe from daylesford.co.uk