Fried Eggs à la Verdi

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •3-quart (3-liter) heavy, high-sided saucepan
• •Clip-on deep-fry thermometer
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Small offset spatula or paring knife
• •Wire spider or long-handled slotted spoon
• •Wire cooling rack set over a tray

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook and chill eggs

   Set the four eggs in a saucepan, cover them with cool water, and bring just to the boil. Cover, remove from the heat, and leave for 11 minutes, then transfer them immediately to ice water. Let them cool completely before peeling. Firm yolks are necessary for pounding, but the gentle finish keeps the whites tender enough to cut without turning rubbery.

   Older eggs peel more willingly than eggs straight from the hen. Whatever their age, cool them fully and begin peeling at the broad end, where the air pocket gives you a clean opening.
2. 2

   Prepare herbs and asparagus

   Melt 1 teaspoon of the measured butter over low heat. Add the chopped herbs and stir for 30 to 45 seconds, just until they soften and smell vivid, then spread them on a plate to cool. Blanch the asparagus tips in well-salted boiling water until bright green and just tender, about 2 minutes. Chill them in ice water, drain, and dry them carefully before refrigerating. The herbs go into the eggs; the asparagus waits for its separate dish.

3. 3

   Pound the filling

   Cut the chilled eggs lengthwise and lift out the yolks without tearing the whites. Press the yolks through a fine sieve, then pound them with the remaining softened butter until smooth and close-textured. Work in the thick, cold Béchamel, the cooled cooked herbs with their butter, and the chopped ham. Season with salt and white pepper. The filling should hold a clean ridge from the spoon. If it looks crumbly, keep working it before adding anything; yolk and butter often look wrong just before they come together. If it turns soft, chill it for 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Rebuild the eggs

   Divide the filling evenly among the eight half-whites, packing it into each cavity and mounding it generously above the rim. Smooth each mound with the dampened blade of a small knife so it resembles the missing half of the egg, convex and neat rather than geometric. Set the pieces on a lined tray and chill uncovered for at least 25 minutes. If a white tears, use a little filling as mortar, set the damaged side against the mound, and chill it firmly. Ça se rattrape.

5. 5

   Coat à l’anglaise

   Beat the Anglaise egg with its tablespoon of oil, a pinch of salt, and a little white pepper until no ropes of egg white remain. Spread the fine fresh breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Turn each reconstructed egg carefully through the Anglaise, coat it completely in crumbs, and press very lightly so the crumbs follow the shape. Set the coated eggs back on the tray. If the coating slides away, blot that egg dry, coat it again, and chill it for 10 minutes before frying.

6. 6

   Fry parsley and eggs

   Pour the frying oil into a heavy 3-quart saucepan, leaving the vessel no more than one-third full, and heat it to 350°F (175°C). Lower the completely dry parsley into the oil with a spider and fry for 8 to 12 seconds, just until crisp and dark green, then drain it on a wire rack. Fry the eggs two or three at a time for 2 to 2½ minutes, turning once, until evenly deep gold. Let the oil return to temperature between batches. The book’s six minutes describes when service begins, not six minutes for each egg in the fat. If crumbs begin shedding, stop loading the pot, skim them out, and restore the temperature before continuing; cool oil loosens the crust.

7. 7

   Send the garnish

   Rewarm the asparagus tips for 30 seconds in gently simmering salted water, then drain them very thoroughly and arrange them in a warmed shallow serving dish. Set the fried eggs on a warm oval platter with the fried parsley gathered in the center. Bring the asparagus separately and serve without delay, while the crumbs remain crisp and the buttery filling is warm. À table!

Chef Tips

• •The source calls for thick, cold Béchamel, and both adjectives matter. Use one made properly with butter, flour, and milk, cooked until a spoon drawn through it leaves a clear trail. A loose sauce makes a filling that slumps.
• •Fine fresh white breadcrumbs follow the egg’s curves and seal the filling. Dry coarse crumbs leave gaps, while large flakes make a rough armor the source never intended.
• •Cooked herbs means tender herbs briefly softened in part of the measured butter, not raw green confetti. Keep parsley in the lead and use chervil and tarragon with restraint.
• •A thermometer earns its place here. Oil below 330°F (165°C) makes the coating greasy and fragile; oil much above 365°F (185°C) browns the crumbs before the center warms.
• •Pour a dry Loire Sauvignon Blanc or another brisk, herb-scented French white. Its acidity handles the butter and ham, while its green edge sits comfortably beside asparagus.

Advance Preparation

• •The thick Béchamel can be prepared two days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Press parchment directly against its surface so it does not form a skin.
• •The eggs may be cooked, filled, shaped, and refrigerated up to one day ahead. Keep them covered once fully cold, then blot away any condensation before applying the Anglaise.
• •Blanch the asparagus up to eight hours ahead, chill it promptly, and refrigerate it on a towel in a covered container.
• •The reconstructed eggs can be coated up to one hour before frying. Keep them cold and uncovered so the fresh crumbs remain dry. Frying is the one step that cannot be done ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 200g)