I like to serve this outdoors as an appetizer course accompanied with thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma and a cool glass of Sauvignon blanc from the Alto Adige region of northern Italy.

Asparagus with hard-boiled egg

3 eggs

2 anchovies, chopped

1 tablespoon capers, chopped

Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 pounds asparagus (white or green)

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the eggs by emerging them in boiling water, turning off the heat, covering and letting them sit for 10 minutes.

Peel and finely dice the eggs.

Whisk together anchovies, capers, lemon juice and olive oil
Adjust the salt and pepper, and add more lemon juice to taste, if needed.

Prepare the asparagus spears by snapping off each stalk where the woody part ends, usually removing about ¼ of the stalk. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the remaining stalks to their tips. (This is especially important if you’re using white asparagus.)

Place asparagus in a wide sauce pan of cold water. Bring water to a boil, cover and take off heat. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Drain the asparagus and toss with half of the dressing and let the spears come to room temperature.

Place the asparagus on a platter and garnish with the diced hard-boiled egg.

Drizzle with the rest of the dressing.

Add cracked pepper and a pinch of salt and serve.

Molly Broder owns and operates Broders’ Pasta Bar, Broders’ Cucina Italiana and Terzo, all located on different corners at 50th Street and Penn Avenue in southwest Minneapolis.