I caught a nasty cold over Mother’s Day weekend, and my appetite was low for a few days. By the time I felt like eating again I craved a comforting breakfast of eggs and bacon. I decided to swap my usual toast soldiers for a fresher twist: soft-boiled eggs served with bacon-wrapped asparagus soldiers. The combination of silky yolk, crisp bacon and tender asparagus was exactly what I needed. This simple recipe pairs beautifully with crispy hash browns or a light fruit salad for a fuller morning meal.
Soft-Boiled Eggs with Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus Soldiers
Ingredients:
- 4 asparagus spears, woody ends trimmed
- 2 slices bacon, cut in half
- 2 eggs
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
How to Make Soft-Boiled Eggs with Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus Soldiers
Wrap each trimmed asparagus spear with half a slice of bacon so the bacon overlaps slightly and holds the spear. This creates your “soldier” pieces for dipping.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Place the bacon-wrapped spears seam-side down in the pan and cook, turning occasionally, until the bacon is browned and crisp all over and the asparagus is tender, about 10–13 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel to drain excess fat.
While the asparagus cooks, bring about an inch of water to a rolling boil in a small saucepan. Gently lower the eggs into the boiling water, reduce heat to medium so the water simmers, cover with a lid and cook for 6 minutes for a soft, runny yolk.
When the 6 minutes are up, immediately run the saucepan under cold water or transfer the eggs to an ice bath until cool enough to handle. This stops the cooking and makes the eggs easier to open.
Using a butter knife or the back of a spoon, tap and crack the top of each egg, then carefully slice or remove the top to reveal the soft yolk. Place the egg in a soft-egg cup or small dish, season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste, and serve with the bacon-wrapped asparagus soldiers for dipping. Enjoy.
Note: If you don’t have a soft egg cup, you can carefully peel the egg and serve it whole in a small ramekin instead.
Soft Boiled Eggs with Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus Soldiers
Equipment
-
Large skillet
-
Small saucepan
Ingredients
- 4 Asparagus spears, woody ends trimmed
- 2 slices bacon, cut in half
- 2 eggs
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Wrap trimmed asparagus spears with half a piece of bacon each.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Place the bacon-wrapped spears seam-side down into the hot skillet.
- Cook, rolling occasionally until the bacon is cooked through and crispy on all sides and the asparagus is tender, about 10–13 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- While the asparagus cooks, bring an inch of water to a boil in a small saucepan.
- Gently add the eggs, reduce heat to medium, cover with a lid and cook for 6 minutes for soft yolks.
- After 6 minutes, immediately cool the eggs under cold running water until they are cool enough to handle.
- Crack the top of each egg with a butter knife and gently remove the top, or peel the egg if you prefer.
- Place the egg in a soft-egg cup or ramekin, season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, and serve with the bacon-wrapped asparagus soldiers for dipping.
- Side note: If you don’t have a soft egg dish, carefully peel the egg and serve it in a ramekin.