Asparagus omelette is a fried egg dish consisting of asparagus as the main ingredient. Asparagus is a spring vegetable and the flavor it imparts is somewhat similar to garlic and onion. Both the green and white asparagus are used for culinary purposes and they are often boiled, steamed or stir-fried before adding to the egg.
The raw asparagus has slightly bitter flavor that is usually reduced after cooking. Asian oriental cuisine, Spanish, German, Swiss and French cuisines make extensive use of asparagus in several dishes including omelettes. Some of the popular asparagus omelette recipes are mushroom asparagus omelette, cheesy asparagus omelette and Spanish green asparagus omelette.
Asparagus Omelette Recipe Overview
There are number of ways in which asparagus shoots are added to the egg. Usually young asparagus shoots are included due to their soft and tender texture and delicate flavor. Asian style asparagus omelette calls for stir-frying of asparagus before adding it to the omelette, whereas European style omelette is prepared by poaching or boiling the asparagus.
To start the preparation of the asparagus omelette, it is quite necessary to wash the asparagus thoroughly as the bottom part of the vegetable contains dirt and sand. The hard stems of the asparagus, if any, should be peeled off before cooking. Chopped asparagus shoots are either boiled or stir-fried with seasonings, chicken, shrimps and bacon. Chopped bell peppers and chopped mushrooms are some of the commonly used add-ons. Seasonings are generally simple like black pepper, salt, parsley and celery.
The asparagus mixture is cooked in the skillet and meanwhile, the egg is beaten and flavored with little seasonings. The milk is often added to get a light and fluffy egg mixture. Once the egg is beaten, the asparagus mixture is spread evenly on the skillet in one layer and egg mixture is poured over it. The egg is allowed to set completely from the bottom. The runny egg on the top is also allowed to run underneath the cooked side by tilting the pan and lifting the edges of the omelette. Omelette is flipped within the skillet and cooked until another side is browned. Shredded cheese is sprinkled over the top of the omelette and served on a serving platter.
Serving and Eating of Asparagus Omelette
Asparagus omelette is generally served as a breakfast dish, but it can also be consumed in lunch and dinner meals. The omelette is either served as a whole or it can be cut into wedges and served as snack. Toasted bread, light salad, ketchup and boiled mashed potato topped with sour cream are some of the best accompaniments to this omelette.
Nutritional Value of Asparagus Omelette
Asparagus is a good source of dietary fiber and Vitamin B6. It is also rich in protein like eggs, hence asparagus omelette is a protein-packed dish. Asparagus also has very low volume of sodium and calories therefore it can be consumed in greater quantities.