Smoky chorizo, crispy fried eggs and spring asparagus make this a delicious midweek meal
Diana Henry The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer
Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.
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Based on a Spanish recipe, this makes a much more substantial dish than you might think, especially if everyone has two eggs. To extend it further you can add potatoes: boil some very small waxy ones until tender, halve them and toss them into the roasting tin with the chorizo and onions, then put the raw asparagus on top before roasting.
Overview
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
25 mins
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 75g bread, such as ciabatta
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying the eggs
- 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 100g chorizo, cut into small chunks
- 1½ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 700g asparagus, woody ends removed
- 4-8 large eggs (depending on how big you want the servings to be)
Method
Step
Preheat the oven to 210C/200C fan/gas mark 6½.
Step
Break up 75g bread (such as ciabatta) into coarse crumbs with your hands, or do this in a food processor using the pulse button.
Step
Heat 1 tbsp of the extra-virgin olive oil in a frying pan and add the breadcrumbs.
Step
Sauté over a high heat to get a good golden colour on them, then add 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley and 1 of the finely chopped garlic cloves and cook, tossing the crumbs around, until the garlic is cooked. Scrape this into a bowl.
Step
Heat ½ tbsp of the extra-virgin olive oil in the pan and add 1 sliced large onion, the remaining 1 finely chopped garlic clove and 100g chorizo (cut into small chunks) – lots of fat comes out of the chorizo so you don’t need much oil.
Step
Fry these for about 4 minutes or until they get a little colour, then add 1½ tsp cumin and 1 tsp smoked paprika.
Step
Cook for another 2 minutes, then transfer this mixture to a roasting tin.
Step
Lay 700g asparagus (woody ends removed) on top in a single layer, drizzle with the remaining 1½ tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil, season and put into the oven.
Step
Cook for 10-14 minutes (the length of time it takes depends on the thickness of the asparagus), or until the asparagus is tender (use the point of a sharp knife to test for doneness).
Step
Meanwhile, add more extra-virgin olive oil to the frying pan and fry 4-8 large eggs (use two pans if you’re cooking 8 eggs), spooning the hot oil up over the yolks.
Step
Serve the asparagus, onions and chorizo on four plates.
Step
Put the eggs on top and scatter on the fried breadcrumbs. Serve immediately.