White oven-baked asparagus with pearl barley and wild herb salad

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg asparagus, white
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 150 ml water
• 2 bay leaves
• 200 g pearl barley
• 750 ml water
• 2 tbsp mustard, medium hot
• 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 80 g pine nuts
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 eggs, size M
• 100 ml vinegar, clear, for poaching
• 1 liter of water
• salt and pepper
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar
• 2 bunches of wild herbs from the market
• Garden cress

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

Viki Fuchs original recipe

1. Peel the asparagus and trim the ends. Mix them with 4 tablespoons of oil, 150 ml water, and salt on a baking tray lined with baking paper, and place them side by side. Cook in a preheated oven at 200 degrees (gas mark 3, fan oven 180 degrees) on the middle rack for 25–30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stalks, until the asparagus is lightly browned. Score the bay leaves several times. Bring the pearl barley and bay leaves to a boil in 750 ml of salted water and cook according to the package instructions. 2. Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette. Wash the wild herbs, shake them dry, and finely chop 1/3 of them. Roast the pine nuts in a pan or in the oven over low heat until golden brown and finely chop. Then mix with the mustard, apple cider vinegar, rapeseed oil, and lemon juice and season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Add the chopped wild herbs to the vinaigrette. Drain the cooked pearl barley through a sieve and allow to evaporate, mix with ¾ of the vinaigrette and let it stand for about 10 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, bring 1 liter of water with 100 ml of vinegar to a boil. Crack 4 freshly cooked eggs into cups, one at a time, then carefully drop each one into the gently simmering water. Catch with a small ladle. The egg white should coat the yolk. Poach the eggs for 3-4 minutes, then carefully lift them out of the water with a slotted spoon. 4. For visual appeal, cut the bottom of the asparagus slightly diagonally and place a few spears next to each other on the plate. Pile about 4 tablespoons of the pearl barley salad next to it and garnish with wild herbs and garden cress. Place a poached egg on top of each asparagus and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Garnish with salt and pepper.