Asparagus, eggs and toast

I'm eating a lot of asparagus fresh from farmers markets. University District and Ballard are open year-round. Columbia City blossomed last week. Capitol Hill is opening this week on Mothers' Day. Here's a quick, easy way to enjoy this spring bounty.

The cooking method I describe below is adapted from a great recipe on The Splendid Table. Listening to the show recently, I heard Lynne Rossetto Kasper describe this cooking method and just improvised that day with what I had on hand in my kitchen.

Asparagus, eggs and toast

6-8 not too thick asparagus spears
2 large eggs
hunk of one or two day-old baguette
fresh lemon zest + juice of half a lemon
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Turn the oven on to a high heat, put an ovenproof pan into the oven and get it hot. I used a stainless steel 10-inch fry pan. Put the baguette in the oven to toast it. You want the bread to get toasty but not burned. Remove the bread from the oven and crumble it.

Take the hot pan out of the oven and set in on a stove burner. Add the olive oil. Add the asparagus, squeeze half a lemon over it, and cover. Turn on the stove burner to medium heat. Cook the asparagus until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. When the asparagus is tender, break two eggs over the asparagus, cover and cook until the egg whites are set with yokes still soft. Season with salt, pepper and lemon zest. Sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs.