Asparagus And Bean 'risotto'

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. butter

1 small shallot, finely chopped

1 cup dry white wine

2 – 14oz cans of white kidney beans (I like this brand)

4 eggs

large handful of asparagus stalks, trimmed, and roughly chopped (about 2 cups when chopped)

1/2 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano + more to finish

chopped garlic greens, lemon zest, and black pepper for garnish

sea salt, to taste

Instructions

Warm the butter in a large saute pan and cook the chopped shallot, with a generous pinch of salt, over low-medium heat for about 5 minutes, until softened.

Add the wine, increase heat to medium-high, and cook to reduce the liquid by about half.

Empty the beans (don’t drain them – the liquid is what makes them creamy), into the pan, lower heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the liquid reduces and the beans are creamy.

While the beans are cooking, bring a small pot of water to a boil and prepare all of the other ingredients (asparagus, cheese, and garnishes)

When the beans are close to being done, taste them and add salt. It’s hard to give a quantity since canned beans widely range in salinity, but this is where you need to make sure that they’re well seasoned. Keep in mind that the cheese will lend a little saltiness too.

When the water is boiling and the beans are simmering, stir in the asparagus and grated cheese, cover the pot, and remove from heat. Gently lower the eggs into the boiling water, and set a timer for 7 minutes. 7 minutes will perfectly cook the egg, gently cook the asparagus so that it’s softened, but still vibrant, and melt the cheese.

Drain the eggs and run them under cold water to stop the cooking process. Give the creamy beanotto another stir, plate it, then peel the eggs, cut into them to release the yolks, and serve on top.

Garnish with greens, more cheese, lemon zest, black pepper, and season with more salt, if necessary.

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