Revuelto de Espárragos Trigueros
Revuelto de Espárragos Trigueros·(re-vwel-to de es-pah-rah-gos tree-geh-ros)
La Cena Ligera: The Gentle Evening
Nine-thirty on a Tuesday, the kitchen is quiet, and a heavy skillet sits on a low flame. When wild asparagus springs up, Spanish tradition skips the cheese and butter, relying instead on gentle heat, good olive oil, and an extra egg yolk. Cook the eggs slowly into a velvety emulsion, pulling the pan off the heat before they fully set. The eggs ribbon through the green stalks, finishing their cook purely on residual heat.
Before you start
Snap the asparagus to find the tender shoot.
Do not blindly chop the spears with a knife. Bend each one near the base until it naturally snaps, cleanly separating the woody, inedible end from the tender stalk. Discard the woody ends.
Ingredients
- pencil green asparagus1/2 lb
- extra virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- garlic2 cloves
- jamón serrano, prosciutto, or cured pancetta2 oz
- pasture-raised eggs3 large
- pasture-raised egg yolk1 large
- sea salt and black pepper1 pinch
- crusty artisan bread1 loaf
Method
- 01
Infuse the olive oil with garlic and ham.
Place a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Toss in the minced garlic and diced ham, letting them sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant and the fat begins to render.
- 02
Sauté the asparagus until crisp-tender.
Add the asparagus pieces to the pan, tossing them in the oil. Lower the heat slightly and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until bright green. Season lightly with salt, keeping the salty ham in mind.
- 03
Gently beat the whole eggs and the extra yolk.
While the asparagus cooks, beat the eggs and the extra yolk in a bowl with a fork until just combined. Do not over-beat, and under no circumstances add milk or water.
- 04
Slowly fold the eggs over the lowest possible heat.
Turn the burner down to its absolute lowest setting. Pour the eggs over the asparagus and use a rubber spatula to continuously, gently scrape the bottom of the pan, folding the slowly setting curds over themselves.
- 05
Remove the pan from the heat before the eggs are fully cooked.
When the eggs are about 80 percent done—resembling soft, wet curds suspended in a slightly runny sauce—take the pan completely off the stove. The residual heat of the pan will finish cooking them perfectly in the next 30 seconds.
- 06
Serve the revuelto immediately.
A revuelto waits for no one. Slide the creamy scramble directly onto a plate and serve alongside toasted artisan bread.
Notes
The extra yolk is the secret to a perfect revuelto.
Spanish grandmothers know that whole eggs contain too much water to achieve maximum richness on their own. Adding an extra yolk increases the fat content, resulting in a softer, more luxurious curd without relying on unauthorized dairy like milk or heavy cream.
From Cook Spanish in America.