Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups fine soft french breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus, trimmed
• 4 eggs, mollet (recipe below) or 4 freshly cooked and finely chopped hard-boiled eggs
• salt
• 4 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
• 4 teaspoons snipped fresh chives
• lemon wedge
• black pepper, in a grinder

Instructions

1. In a heavy frying pan over medium heat, sauté crumbs in butter until they are crisp and deep golden and butter is slightly browned.

2. Meantime, cook asparagus in gently boiling salted water until just tender crisp; drain well.

3. Arrange asparagus on two warm serving plates. Top each serving with 2 eggs mollet. Season asparagus and eggs with salt.

4. Pour bubbling crumbs over top. Sprinkle with parsley and chives. Garnish with lemon wedges. Pass pepper grinder. Makes 2 supper servings.

5. EGGS MOLLET: Have 4 eggs at room temperature. In a saucepan, bring to a rapid boil enough water to cover the eggs. Place each egg on a spoon and lower it into the water. Reduce heat until water barely simmers, and cook eggs for exactly 6 minutes. Drain immediately and plunge into cold water. Peel and cut in half lengthwise.

6. Home Cooking Around The World.