In the spirit of this perfect spring , enjoying fresh asparagus with a balsamic  sauce, topped with a poached egg  fresh from my chickens,  is a sin easily forgiven. It is a popular spring dish and with a twist here and there, you can enjoy it several times and each time have something different on your plate. (see suggestions below)

Suggestions:

  • Stem or boil the asparagus instead of sauteing in oil if you want to cut down on fat.  Make a vinaigrette of olive oil and lemon juice and balsamic and drizzle when served.
  • If the asparagus are too thick, cut in half.
  • Use wild asparagus.
  • Use thin green string beans instead.
  • Instead of a poached egg, a soft boiled egg can be used.
  • Chop a hard boiled egg finely, sprinkle on the asparagus and top off with a dollop of mayonnaise and fresh herbs, instead of the poached egg.
  • Instead of balsamic vinegar, make a reduction of white wine and a few saffron strands: Remove the asparagus from the pan, add about 150 ml white wine, 1 tsp of white balsamic to the pan along with a few strands of saffron, let simmer until syrupy and drizzle over the asparagus.
  • Use dry roasted almond flakes instead of pine nuts.

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…and a brocante at Collonges la rouge.

Elsewhere it may be cold and rainy, but here in Correze, France, it seems we have skipped spring and jumped straight into summer. Browsing the brocante in Collonge la rouge this past Easter weekend, couldn’t have been more perfect, The brocantes are starting off with full force and every weekend one can pick and choose between several. I prefer the small town, more informal ones with jovial, hearty conversations and laid back country side ambiance.

Collonges la Rouge  counts as one of “The most beautiful villages of France” and is a charming little 800’s village with its rustic red stone. In a next post I’ll show and tell more about it.

We can never do it any other way..always  start off with a coffee!

…Wooden farm furniture at the brocante…

…and two sketchers…not buying, only observing…

…and Scruffy is keeping an eye from down below…

…bottles I would love to have, but can’t afford…

…and ditto for this beautiful white and black Gien pot…extremely expensive…

…such nice milk glass vases…

…and finally I found lovely lace curtains for the barn door at Coin Perdu…

àla prochaine!

ronelle

14 thoughts on “Asparagus with balsamic sauce…and a brocante in Collonges la rouge.”

  1. What lovely objects.

    That asparagus dish is marvelous! I love that hint of balsamic vinegar.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. What a lovely idea to have the asparagus with some balsamic sauce and a poached egg…yummy!
    How I wish I could have joined you having a coffee and visiting a brocante in the village of Collonges la Rouge!
    Ixx

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  3. Last sunday, i’ve found a similar bottle, les vide-greniers in Normandy are less expensive than in Correze 🙂
    I’m going to try your recipe!

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  5. It’s always the simplest pleasures that are the best, n’est pas? Asparagus with egg, and the joy of seeing beautiful “things”. We don’t have to own them to feel the thrill when we visit them!

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  6. Bonjour Ronelle – another lovely recipe to add to my little “Ronelle’s Recipe note-book”
    simple food done so well – just love your ideas! xx

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  7. I loved that trip through the market and truly yearned for some of those lovely objects! The asparagus, I know for sure, will be full of flavour and not like our very perfectly packed genetically perfect and tasteless asparagus available here.

    I am glad it is spring, Ronelle, and would love to see your farmhouse!

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  8. Ronelle …Ronelle…..you make me drool for those markets of yours..home two weeks and already I’m so ready to go back! Now if flying was not the off putting reason…I would be there in a flash. thank you for sharing with us, and that recipe looks so yum!
    much love to you and your family. xoxo Colette ~ Afrique du Sud

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  9. The market looks wonderful, especially the glassware. I love asparagus so tasty this time of year.

    Eileen

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  10. What a lovely tour of the marketplace! And that asparagus dish looks scrumptious!

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  11. How wonderful to have eggs so fresh! This looks like such a simple but elegant dish that I would love.

    But, oh, the scenery, restaurants and markets! What a wonderful place.

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  12. I’ve done the Italian thing with a hard-boiled egg sauce on asparagus – but never a poached one. Love the idea of the crisp-tender asparagus with the balsamic and then the runny egg. (Oh my – heart palpitations!) I yearn for those bottles but not as much as I yearn for a proper spring. Glad you are in the midst of a lovely one.

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