To me, this light dish represents the first hints of Spring!! The sun is slowly starting to peek through the winter clouds to brighten up the days!!  During this transition, I believe we start to yearn for lighter foods – even with a little citrus zest!

I tend to combine grilling and roasting in many of my spring vegetable dishes.  I also love using citrus vinaigrettes this time of year. They offer a lightness to food and remind me that summer’s freshness is right around the corner!

Asparagus is actually a member of the lily family!  It’s native to the Mediterranean region and comes into season during the spring months.  It’s a wonderful source of fibre, potassium, folic acid, and Vitamins C, A & K!  Asparagus consists of almost 1/2 protein – and it’s low in calories!  So this is a great option for vegetarians.

Leeks are related to both onions and garlic – so they offer many same nutritional values as a good source of dietary sulphur.  Leeks are also rich in fibre. They were prized by ancient Greeks and Romans for healing properties associated to the throat, and the philosopher Aristotle attributed the partridge’s diet of leeks to their beautiful and clear voices.

This recipe serves 2
quantities can be easily adjusted

8 baby leeks - sliced in 1/2
10-12 spears of asparagus - washed and stems removed
1 tsp of coconut oil
2 eggs
1 tbsp of white wine vinegar
1/4 cup of olive oil, divided
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 220 Celsius of 350 Fahrenheit.
2. Place the leeks on a roasting tray.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, warm 1 tsp of coconut oil to a medium pan on the stove.
4. Add the asparagus to the pan and grill for approximately 7 minutes until tender (but not completely soften!)
5. Once the leeks and asparagus are finished, add some hot water to a small saucepan and place over high heat to bring water to a boil.
6. Upon boiling, add the vinegar and stir the water.  Place the egg gently to poach for approximately 1 minute.
7. Make the dressing by first zesting the lemon into the olive oil.  Then squeeze the lemon’s juice into the mixture and whisk to emulsify.
8. To assemble:  Layer the leeks on a plate, top with asparagus & poached egg.  Then drizzle the lemon dressing on top!