Oven Baked Asparagus and Eggs

Asparagus and eggs is something I make a lot, probably because I can get good asparagus in the grocery store year-round.  Even though the market and my garden are more than bountiful this week,  I've really been craving this dish that I usually reserve for winter breakfasts...

These creamy eggs and roasted asparagus spears, drizzled with melted butter and a shot of lemon, are super simple to whip up.  Serve them with buttered toast or warm rolls, and your family will be thrilled...or make a small batch using a little 6 inch skillet, and treat yourself! 

You can follow this recipe using any vegetable besides tough root veggies.  I recently tried zucchini, cauliflower, onion and garlic cooked in this method and it was one of my favorite versions.  Cut your veggies to a similar thickness as asparagus spears, and the recipe stays the same...

Oven Baked Asparagus and Eggs

Serves 4.

1 bunch asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off

Drizzle of olive oil

Pinch of salt and black pepper

4 eggs, at room temperature (you can warm them in a bowl of warm water if you like)

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 thick wedge of fresh lemon

Preheat the oven to 450F.  Place your asparagus in a 10 inch cast iron skillet and drizzle lightly with olive oil.  Toss the spears around to coat them with oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Roast the spears for about 10 minutes, or just until you can hear them starting to sizzle in the oven.  Melt butter in a separate pan.

Remove the skillet from the oven and push the spears to edges of the pan.  Crack the eggs into the center of the skillet.  Drizzle melted butter over the eggs and squeeze the lemon juice over the eggs and asparagus.  Add another pinch of salt and pepper to the eggs.

Turn off the heat of the oven and put the skillet back in the oven.  Leave it sit in there for 7 or 8 minutes, then check the eggs.  They should be done.  If the whites are still clear on top, turn on the broiler for no more than a minute before checking again.  Try not to over cook the eggs or they will get rubbery.  If you remove them when they are moist and tender (still a little jiggly when you shake the pan), they will be perfectly creamy and runny for dipping your toast.  

If you prefer hard yolks, go ahead and break them up when you first crack them into the pan.

Serve with salt and pepper and extra lemon, if desired.

Enjoy!