Asparagus casserole with leaf spinach and smoked salmon

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg asparagus, white
• 1 liter of water, possibly mixed with vegetable stock
• 250 g leaf spinach, frozen or fresh
• 4 large tomatoes, vine or beefsteak tomatoes
• 400 g smoked salmon or ham
• 4 eggs
• 300 ml cream
• 1 handful of sunflower seeds
• 1 sprig(s) rosemary, fresh or dried
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar
• salt and pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• possibly lemon juice
• possibly butter
• some pine nuts

Instructions

Working time approx. 35 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

Food combining, low in carbohydrates, can also be prepared with ham!

Thaw the frozen spinach and drain. If using fresh spinach (in which case use about double the amount!), briefly pour boiling water over it to wilt it. Preheat the oven to 180-200°C fan/convection oven. Peel the asparagus and trim the ends. Bring a pan of salted water (I always make salted water with a little vegetable stock. If you like, you can add a little lemon juice and a knob of butter) with a pinch of sugar to a boil and pre-cook the asparagus for about 10 minutes, until al dente. The asparagus shouldn’t be too soft, as it will continue to cook in the oven. If cooked briefly, it will be a little firmer later and won’t be overcooked. While the asparagus is pre-cooking, slice the tomatoes, remove the seeds, and dice them. Season in a bowl with a little salt and cayenne pepper. Finely chop the rosemary. Whisk the cream with the eggs and season with nutmeg, pepper, and salt. Stir in the rosemary. Drain the asparagus water (you can also use asparagus peels as a base for asparagus soup!). Place half of the asparagus in a casserole dish. Place the smoked salmon on top of the asparagus, scatter the drained spinach over it, then the spicy tomato cubes and, right on top, the other half of the asparagus. Pour the cream and egg mixture over it and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. When the casserole is almost golden brown, sprinkle with the sunflower seeds (pine nuts work too, of course) and bake for a further 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oven, garnish with a sprig of rosemary, serve, and enjoy. If you like, you can serve it with a piece of fresh baguette, but it tastes great without it too! As an alternative to smoked salmon, you can also use cooked ham, or enjoy the casserole vegetarian. The casserole is also a feast for the eyes, easy to prepare and therefore a lovely dish for guests.