Roasted Beetroot And Couscous Salad

This week, in typical Melbourne fashion, we've gone from 34 degrees to 20 degrees in the space of a couple of days. Last week I wanted light and fresh meals with minimal cooking and minimal fuss. Frankly, who can be bothered cooking when it's hot?

The last two days, as the weather has cooled down, I've been craving heavier meals. For Meat free Monday, I couldn't go past making a hearty salad with a few of my favourite things. Beautiful fresh asparagus was a given and roasted beetroot is always a favourite. Combined with some corn couscous and a spiced yoghurt dressing, using the lovely MOO Dahi, it was certainly a winner.

I've never used corn couscous before, but picked up a packet from the local shops because they didn't have any of the regular sort available. It was a little heavier than couscous made from semolina, but had a lovely corny smell and taste. I'll certainly be using it again. You can just use regular couscous, or even the larger Israeli couscous balls. Either would still be delicious.

Roasted Beetroot And Couscous Salad

1 large beetroot

A drizzle of olive oil

1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends snapped off

1/2 cup MOO Dahi yoghurt

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups couscous

A few handfuls of parsley and mint, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Trim the beetroot and peel using a vegetable peeler. Cut into large chunks.

Toss with a drizzle of olive oil on a baking tray and roast for about 30 minutes or until tender when pierced with a skewer.

Remove from the oven and set aside.

Place asparagus spears in a heatproof container and pour over boiling water. 

Allow to sit for 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the spears. Drain and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the MOO Dahi yoghurt, lemon juice, cumin and coriander. Season to taste

Prepare the couscous according to packet instructions. 

In a large bowl, combine coucous, beetroot, asparagus and chopped herbs. Season to taste.

Tip onto a platter or serving bowl and drizzle with the yoghurt dressing.

Enjoy!

Asparagus, Broad Bean and Feta Tart

I love buying and cooking with what's in season. Fruit and vegetables that are at their peak locally are not just cheaper, but they are also so much more flavoursome than when they are grown in a greenhouse somewhere or imported from overseas. It's also nice to know that I'm supporting the local farmers and greengrocers.

Asparagus is just lovely at the moment and whenever I see it at the greengrocer, I can't help but buy a bunch or two. It's so versatile and I could really eat it every day. Simply blanched and drizzled with oil, smothered in Hollandaise, dipped into runny boiled eggs or baked into tarts and quiches. Delicious!

For this weeks vegetarian dinner, I decided to make a tart. I had some broad beans in the freezer and a piece of feta in the fridge that needed using up. I used frozen pastry, because I'm lazy, but freshly made shortcrust would be so much nicer. If only I had more time in my day to make pastry from scratch!

This tart was really easy to put together and I served it with a light, roasted cherry tomato, baby spinach and rocket salad. On a sunny evening, it was a lovely light dinner. It would also be beautiful for a relaxed weekend lunch or picnic, sitting outside in the sun with a glass of wine and good friends.

Asparagus And Broad Bean Tart

1 sheet of frozen shortcrust pastry

A bunch of asparagus, woody ends snapped off

100g frozen broad beans

1 egg

50g Danish or creamy feta, chopped

A handful of mint leaves, finely chopped

6 Cherry tomatoes, halved

A couple of handfuls of baby spinach and rocket

A drizzle of balsamic vinegar

1 tsp toasted sunflower seeds or pinenuts

A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Take pastry out of the freezer and allow it to defrost.

Place on a lightly greased oven tray, score a line 1cm from the edge all around the outside.

Par bake for 5 minutes or until the pastry very lightly browns and puffs. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Place asparagus spears and broad beans in a heatproof container and pour over boiling water. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then drain.

Remove skins from broad beans and set aside with asparagus spears.

In a bowl, combine egg, feta, mint and pepper to taste. Mix well to make it into a creamy paste with a few lumpy pieces of feta.

Spread this mixture onto the pastry sheet, keeping it within the border.
Arrange the asparagus and broad beans over the filling.
Return to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the pasty is golden and the egg and feta mixture is set.

While the tart is cooking, place cherry tomato halves and a good drizzle of balsamic vinegar in a tray and roast for 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Combine the rocket and baby spinach with the tomatoes. Sprinkle with seeds and add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic to create a dressing. The tomatoes will break down to create a dressing of sorts too, so don't add too much. Season to taste.

Serve the tart in large pieces with the salad on the side.

Enjoy!

And To Drink....

I have written about the 2007 Nepenthe Ithaca Chardonnay quite a few times before. When we bought it, we got a dozen, so there have been plenty of bottles to enjoy!

This is a gorgeous cool climate Chardonnay with lovely citrus and stone fruit flavours. There is a nice nuttiness from the oak, but it isn't overpowering.

With a light vegetarian dish, you don't want a wine that overpowers the subtle flavours of the food. This Adelaide Hills Chardonnay was perfect. It wasn't too heavy and the sweetness of the broad beans and asparagus matched beautifully with the fruit flavours in the wine. The saltiness of the feta wasn't too strong, so it still complemented the wine well.

As a wine to match with this weeks Meat-free Monday, the Nepenthe Chardonnay was wonderful!

Salmon And Salad Wraps

As the weather warms up it's nice to have easy dinners that really don't take any effort to make up, but which taste delicious.

Especially on days when I work, this is high on the list of priorities. Even better when I just put all the components on the table and everyone helps themselves!

Salmon is my favourite fish and it matches so well with avocado and asparagus. You could use any fish that you prefer, or even prawns, but you want something that is quite firm fleshed so it doesn't completely fall apart and turn mushy. It's nice to have big chunks of fish to bite into.

I dressed my asparagus with a blood orange infused olive oil that we picked up in the Yarra Valley, which was just beautiful. You could use any flavoured oil that you have or just plain extra virgin olive oil.

I didn't make any other sauce or dressing for the salad as I felt the lemon juice, oil and juices from the  salmon were enough. Too much liquid just makes the wraps soggy and messy.  If you like more sauce, try some homemade mayonnaise or a good quality egg mayo to spread on the wraps first. Otherwise, do what I did and mash the avocado onto the wrap before adding everything else.

Recipes like this are really just an idea. Use the ingredients that you have on hand or what you like. You can be as creative or boring as you like and they will still taste great!

Salmon And Salad Wraps

A bunch of asparagus

2 salmon fillets, skin removed and pin boned

1 avocado, halved, skin removed and cut into chunky pieces

1 Lebanese cucumber, cut into sticks

A handful of cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters

A few handfuls of mixed lettuce/baby spinach/rocket

A handful of parsley and coriander leaves

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Flavoured extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

A packet of wraps or Mountain Bread of your choice

Snap the woody stems off the asparagus and place the spears in a heat proof dish. Pour over boiling water from the kettle and let sit for 5 minutes. Drain, cut in half and toss with salt, pepper and a drizzle of the flavoured oil. 

Place salmon fillets in a cold frying pan and place over medium high heat. This will help to render the fat.

Cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until golden and cooked to your liking. You still want a little bit of pink on the inside. Season to taste and set aside.

On a platter, arrange avocado, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, greens and asparagus.

On another platter, flake salmon fillets into chunks, scatter with herbs and place lemon wedges to the side.

To serve, put a wrap on a plate and top with a selection of some or all of the vegies and salmon. Squeeze some lemon over the top and roll up.

Enjoy!

Spring Salad

With the weather generally warming up, salads are becoming a lot more popular in the eat quaff laugh household. Melbourne has ridiculously variable weather in Spring, so one day it's hot, the next its cold and wet with thunderstorms. Trying to come up with appropriate food is impossible!

Salads for us at the moment tend to be a bit more substantial than the hot summer ones, because you still have an appetite and want something filling.

I love a good roasted vegie salad. Firstly, they taste good, but also I can roast the vegies the day before if I need to, so that it's really easy to toss the ingredients together when it gets to dinner time. If you are using pre-roasted vegies, you'll need to heat them up in the microwave or the oven so that they aren't too cold.

Roasting vegies always brings out a beautiful sweetness in them as they caramelise in the oven. My favourites are pumpkin, sweet potato, onion and beetroot, but you could really use whatever takes your fancy. Paired with some fresh greens, this makes a very satisfying meal.

I served this salad with a beautiful piece of crispy skinned salmon, but you could serve it with any sort of meat, or just on its own with some crusty bread and butter for a vegetarian option.

Roasted Vegie Salad

1 sweet potato

1 red onion

6 cloves of garlic, in the skins

A drizzle of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

A bunch of asparagus, woody ends snapped off

A big handful of baby spinach leaves

A big handful of rocket leaves

1Tbs or so of your favourite bought or homemade dressing (preferable an oil/vinegar mix, rather than creamy)

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Prepare the sweet potato by peeling and then cutting into roughly 1cm thick slices. Cut these slices into halves or quarters, depending on the size of your sweet potato.

Peel the onion and cut into 8 wedges lengthwise.

Toss the onion, whole garlic cloves and sweet potato in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and then tip onto a baking tray.

Roast in the oven for 30 mins or until the onion and sweet potato are soft and browning around the edges. If the onion is cooked before the sweet potato, remove it from the oven when it's done.

Set the vegies aside to cool slightly.

Place the asparagus spears in a heat proof container. Pour boiling water over them and let them sit for 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the spears.

Drain once they are tender and refresh under cool water. Cut the spears into half lengthways.

To make the salad, combine sweet potato, onion, garlic and asparagus in a bowl. Toss through rocket and baby spinach. Dress with your favourite dressing and season to taste.

Enjoy!

Udder Delights Cheese

Last weekend I was in Adelaide for my Mum's birthday and was lucky enough to pick up an enormous pack of gorgeous Udder Delights Cheese. Udder Delights produces goat and cow's milk cheeses in the beautiful Adelaide Hills town of Lobethal, with their shop and cafe in Hahndorf.

Their range includes a goat curd, chèvre, goat camembert and brie and a goat blue. They also make a camembert, brie, double cream brie and Heysen blue from cow's milk.

My pack included a 1kg tub of the amazing goat curd, three 100g mixed goat brie and camembert and 500g of the Heysen blue. Paired with some crackers, dried fruit and nuts, it made the perfect cheese platter for the birthday party.

Unfortunately there was a big wedge of the blue, one camembert and half a tub of the curd left over that I just had to bring back home! As a result, we've been living on goat's cheese this week. Such a tough life, but someone has to do it!

I thought I'd share with you a couple of the salads and side dishes I've made this week and give you a couple of other suggestions of how to use goat's curd.

The Udder Delights curd is not too 'goaty', which means it is low in acidity and very creamy. It matches perfectly will all sorts of fruits and vegetables, so you can use it for sweet and savoury dishes. It is a great match in zucchini fritters, atop pasta, wrapped in prosciutto for an appetiser or on its own, spread onto fresh bread. Goat's curd on a pea and broad bean tart is a match made in heaven!

I have only made savoury meals this week, but will try something sweet next week. Goat's curd matches perfectly with fresh figs, ripe peaches and nectarines, if you wanted to make a dessert that wasn't overly sweet. It also bakes well into muffins, cakes or tarts. I think I might try a cheesecake or panna cotta.

For the first meal we had this week, I paired asparagus with the curd and served it with a nice steak, marinated in some red wine, garlic and pomegranate molasses. I also roasted some home grown potatoes with whole garlic cloves, lemon rind, lemon juice and a touch of chilli, for something different.

Tonight we had the zucchini and eggplant salad, served with panko crumbed snapper. Simple but very tasty.

I can't wait to finish the rest of the tub!

How would you eat your goat's cheese? I'd love to know how you enjoy this amazing product.

Asparagus With Goat's Curd

1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends removed

1/2 cup goat's curd

1 Tbs toasted pinenuts

A squeeze of lemon juice

A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

A drizzle of pomegranate molasses

Freshly cracked black pepper

Place asparagus in a heat proof container and pour boiling water over it. Allow to sit for approx 1 minute, then drain.

Place blanched asparagus on a serving platter and sprinkle with pine nuts.

Decoratively blob the goat's curd over the asparagus.

Drizzle with oil, pomegranate molasses and a squeeze of lemon juice, to taste.

Finish with freshly ground black pepper.

Simple but delicious!

Chargrilled Eggplant And Zucchini With Goat's Curd and Pomegranate

1 zucchini

2 Lebanese eggplants

1 pomegranate

A handful of fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

A handful of fresh mint, coarsely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tsp verjuice

1 1/2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil plus extra for grilling

1/3 cup goat's curd

Salt and pepper to taste

Slice the zucchini and eggplant lengthways into roughly 5mm slices.
Place the eggplant in a colander and generously sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 15 mins to drain the bitter juices. Rinse the salt and pat dry.
Heat a chargrill pan or BBQ over medium heat.
Brush vegetable slices lightly with oil and chargrill until golden and tender. Remove to a plate and set aside.
For the dressing, combine lemon juice, verjuice, oil and salt and pepper to taste.
Pour half of the dressing over the eggplant and zucchini and toss to combine. Allow to absorb the dressing.
To remove the seeds from the pomegranate, cut it in half and then hold in an open palm over a bowl in the sink. Using a spoon, beat the skin side until all the seeds fall into the bowl. Remove any bits of the white pith that fall into the bowl.
To serve, drain vegetables from extra dressing and place on a platter. Top with chopped mint and parsley, pomegranate seeds and blobs of goat's curd. Drizzle with a little of the remaining dressing and a good grinding of black pepper.

Enjoy!

Christmas And Sparkling Shiraz

I love Christmas in Australia, when the weather is hot and all those beautiful cherries, mangoes and other summer fruits come into abundance. I love the fresh herbs and ruby red tomatoes growing in the garden. I love the tradition of still having roast turkey and ham on Christmas Day and of eating way too much. I love the very Australian drink of Sparkling Shiraz to have with my lunch on Christmas Day.

Sparkling Shiraz is as Australian as thongs and laminations, Vegemite and pavlova. It is a wonderful drink and the sweetness and bubbly berry-ness goes perfectly with so many foods. Turkey, ham and duck are great matches. If you've never tried it, make sure you track one down.

Tonight we are having a Grant Burge Sparkling Shiraz Cabernet as the December wine from The Fabulous Ladies' Wine Society Wine Club.  I have had plenty of Grant Burge wines in the past, but never the Sparkling Shiraz, so I was really looking forward to this one.

Grant Burge is a winery from the Barossa Valley in South Australia, which has been producing table and sparkling wines since 1855. Located 80km north of Adelaide, the Barossa is a beautiful area of rolling hills, vineyards, fine food and wine. The winery produces a number of different levels of wine, with Barossa reds being a favourite. White wines also feature highly, particularly those with fruit from the neighbouring Eden Valley.

Given that we'll be having plenty of turkey next week, tonight I thought I'd match the sparkling Shiraz with some great Australian lamb.  Red wine and red meat always go well together, so why not add a bit of sweetness and a few bubbles!

I was given a bunch of some beautiful fresh mint from a friend's garden the other day and decided that mint, lamb and sparkling shiraz would be the perfect combination.

With amazing fresh herbs, truss Roma tomatoes and asparagus, I have put together a simple but amazing salad to showcase all of those beautiful flavours. Part Greek, part Middle Eastern, part Australian, it is a wonderful blend of amazing food and cultures.

The Grant Burge Sparkling Shiraz was inky black in colour with plenty of spice and blackberry flavours. There was also some plum and cherry notes too. The sweetness and berry-ness matched perfectly with the lamb, complementing the crisp nutty coating. Nuts and berries go well together, don't they?  I was worried that the salty feta and olives would be a bit overpowering, but because the feta was nice and creamy, it all balanced out. Sweet tomato, fresh mint and peppery rocket were the perfect combination of flavours.

I'd definitely recommend this wine, especially on Christmas Day. Even on Christmas Eve, New Years Eve or any time you want something a little bit different and a little bit fancy. To be drunk with a full meal, some prosciutto and fresh bread, strong cheeses or just on its own. Perfect.

Nut And Seed Crusted Lamb

1 lamb backstrap, cleaned of fat and sinews
1 Tbs sesame seeds
1/4 cup flaked almonds, toasted
1 tsp lemon myrtle flakes
A good grinding of salt and pepper

Combine sesame seeds, almonds, lemon myrtle, salt and pepper in a mortar and pestle.
Gently crush the almonds and combine all the flavours.
Generously sprinkle the lamb all over with the seed and nut mixture.

Heat a fry pan on medium high heat with a good drizzle of olive oil.
Depending on the size of your lamb and your frypan, you may need to cut the fillet in half.
Cook on one side until the coating is golden and the lamb sealed. Turn over and cook the other side.
You still want the lamb to be a little pink in the middle.
Set aside to rest in a warm place, covered with foil.

Tomato and Asparagus Salad

3 truss Roma tomatoes, quartered
Half a bunch of asparagus, woody ends snapped off
A handful of rocket leaves
50g feta, cut into cubes
A handful of black olives
A handful of fresh mint leaves, torn
Extra virgin olive oil
Verjuice

Pour boiling water over the asparagus in a heatproof bowl and leave for 1 minute. Drain and refresh under cold water.
Place asparagus, tomato, rocket, feta, olives and mint in a salad bowl or on a platter.
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and and a dash of verjuice to taste and gently combine.

Sensational Sides

Not everything we eat in the eat quaff laugh household is super fancy. Sometimes we like to keep it simple and just have steak, chicken or pork with salad or vegies. For me, what really makes a meal is the quality of the meat, but also the side dish that you serve with it. It doesn't necessarily need to be anything complicated. Sometimes the best dishes are those that use fresh produce straight out of the garden or from the market, prepared simply. You want the hero of the dish to be the beautiful vegetables.

Here are a few of my favourite side dishes to go with a variety of meals. I guarantee they will zhush up your dinner time!

Asparagus 

 

Now that Australian asparagus is back in season, we've been eating it at least once or twice a week. It would have to be one of my favourite vegetables and is best served simply. I love to just blanch the asparagus spears, so that they retain a bit of crunch and then drizzle with a lemon infused olive oil, a grinding of salt and pepper and some finely grated lemon rind. Delish!

Alternatively, find a good quality aioli from the supermarket or deli and drizzle over the blanched spears. If you have the time and energy, make your own Hollandaise. I recently discovered an amazing fresh parsley and cracked black pepper aioli from Fifya. It was delicious slightly warmed and spooned over the hot spears. A perfect match with any sort of meat.

To blanch the asparagus, simply snap off the woody ends, place in a heatproof dish and pour over boiling water from the kettle. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes. If the spears are really thick, you might need to do this twice. You can also cook them in the microwave by putting the spears in a container with a lid and covering with a small amount of water. Microwave on high for about 2 minutes, then drain.

Broccolini

Broccolini is another green veg which is available most of the year round and is a great side vegetable. It is so underrated! Broccolini is also best served simply, and similar to asparagus, doesn't need much done to it.

If you don't like broccoli, then give it's more tender cousin a go. You can eat the whole thing, including the stalks. I think they're the best bit! 

Simply trim the ends and blanch the broccolini in the same way as asparagus. You can either pour boiling water over the stalks and let it sit for 5 minutes, or microwave with a light covering of water for 2-3 minutes. The thicker the stalks, the longer it will take to cook. You want it to be just tender, not soft and soggy!

I like to toss the cooked broccolini with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, finely grated lemon rind and some toasted pine nuts. The nuttiness of the pine nuts really goes well with the flavour of the greens.

Roasted Capsicum and Chargrilled Zucchini with Persian Fetta

This is one of my all time favourite summer salads. Roasted red capsicum is so easy to make and tastes much better than the stuff from the supermarket. There are so many uses for the capsicum, but this salad is easy and super tasty.

1 red capsicum
1 zucchini
A handful of mint or basil leaves
Persian fetta or soft goats curd

All you need to do is cut a red capsicum in half, remove the stalk, seeds and membranes and place cut side down on a piece of foil under the grill. Grill on high until the skin in blistered and blackened. The blacker the better! Wrap the foil around the capsicum like a little parcel and leave for about 10 minutes, until it is cool enough to handle. The skin should then easily peel away from the flesh, leaving you with sweet, beautiful roasted capsicum and some amazing juice.

For the zucchini, slice lengthways into 1/2cm thick slices, spray lightly with oil spray and season with salt and pepper. Heat a chargrill pan on high and grill the slices on each side until the zucchini softens and you can see grill marks on the cut sides. Set aside to cool.

To assemble the salad, alternately layer zucchini, capsicum, torn fresh mint or basil and feta. You might get two or three layers, depending on how big the capsicum and zucchini are. Season with freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and any of the juices that came out of the capsicum when it was resting.

This is best served at room temperature to really appreciate the flavour.

Mushrooms

 

I love mushrooms of all shapes and sizes and would eat them every day if I could.  They are great as a vegetarian meal, stuffed with all sorts of goodness, or used as a side dish. Again, I love to keep it simple. 

Thickly slice whatever type of mushroom you prefer and fry up in a pan with a knob of butter and a drizzle of olive oil. You want to cook them until they start to release their own juices and become soft and soak up the butter and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, throw in a handful of chopped thyme leaves and a clove of crushed garlic and continue to cook until fragrant.

Mushies cooked this way are great served over a piece of steak as a simple mushroom sauce. You could also toast thick slices of ciabatta or sourdough and pile up with the mushroom mix, bruschetta style. Add a few slices of bocconcini or shavings of parmesan, if you like. What could be more tasty for a quick lunch or light dinner?

Eggs and Asparagus For Brunch

I love to go out for breakfast or brunch on weekends or on days when I'm not working, but now with two little kids, it's not the relaxing affair it once was. No more leisurely reading the paper, ordering extra coffee and taking time to eat something delicious. It's more like quickly shoveling something in before the kids go mental and tear the cafe apart!

Cooking a nice meal for brunch at home has become more the norm lately. Eggs and bacon are always good, but sometimes it's nice to do something a bit different and a bit more fancy. Sometimes you want to feel like you are eating something that you would get at a cafe.

I love asparagus and soft poached eggs, so when I saw that Australian asparagus was in season, I jumped at the chance to buy some and cook up a breakfast storm.

As a lot of you know, I subscribe to Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine and get lots of my foodie inspiration from its glorious recipes and fantastic photos. In the most recent issue, they have a dish for roasted asparagus and eggs, aimed as a quick mid week meal. Why not tweak it a bit and make it into a fabulous breakfast dish instead?

We ate ours with some fresh baguette from a local patisserie, but you could use any sort of bread you like. Toasted sourdough with lashings of butter would be great too!

Asparagus with Poached Eggs and Herby Tomato Sauce

1 1/2 bunches of asparagus, woody ends snapped off
A drizzle of olive oil
4 eggs
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 ripe tomato, diced
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
2 Tbs each chopped parsley and mint
Salt and pepper to taste
100g fresh ricotta
Fresh baguette or other bread to serve

Prepare the sauce first.
Heat extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan or frypan and add shallot and garlic and fry until soft but not brown.
Add chopped tomato, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Take off the heat and set aside to infuse. Just before serving, stir through the fresh parsley and mint.
Place asparagus in a heat proof dish and pour over boiling water. Stand for a minute or two and then drain.
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a grill pan and fry blanched asparagus spears for a minute or so until lightly golden and tender. Keep warm.
For the poached eggs, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and turn down the heat until it is barely simmering. Crack eggs individually  into cups, then slowly tip into the simmering water. Poach for about 3 minutes for runny yolks.
When eggs are cooked, remove from the water with a slotted spoon to drain the water.
To serve, divide asparagus spears between two plates and top with two poached eggs each. Blob ricotta cheese around and over the top. Carefully spoon the tomato and herb sauce over the top.
Finish with extra cracked black pepper and your favourite bread.