Hop shoots nests are a super quick and original spring recipe, perfect for impressing your guests or the little ones in the family. This appetizer or main course is made with hop shoots (the young sprouts of wild hops), a spontaneous spring herb.
How to pair hop shoots? Naturally, they are great with eggs, also try the omelet, the crepes or the risotto.
HARVEST SEASON
#hopshoots – from March to May
#saltwort – from March to June, in some years even until July
#wildasparagus – from March to June, in southern Italy they can be found as early as January or even earlier.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 7 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Spring
- Energy 101.05 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 0.50 (g) of which sugars 0.00 (g)
- Proteins 7.69 (g)
- Fat 7.55 (g) of which saturated 2.71 (g)of which unsaturated 2.88 (g)
- Fibers 0.00 (g)
- Sodium 275.99 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 85 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Hop Shoots Nests
- 1.76 oz hop shoots (or saltwort or wild asparagus)
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (or peanut oil)
- 2 eggs
- to taste salt (and aromatic herbs to taste)
Tools
- 1 Pan non-stick d.22 cm
Hop Shoots Nests
Wash the hop shoots and use them still dripping with water.
In a non-stick pan, pour a drizzle of oil and form the hop shoots nests.
Pour the egg inside the green nest, salt and oil, optionally sprinkle with your favorite herbs.
Cook the nests over low heat and covered for about 8 minutes or until the desired level of cooking is reached.
Serve hot or warm as an appetizer or vegetarian main course.
VARIANT: if you desire a more cooked vegetable, slightly precook the green nests with a little water before placing the egg inside.
The same recipe made with SALTWORT or WILD ASPARAGUS requires a pre-blanching of the wild herbs before forming the nests in the pan.
Place the two hop shoots nests attached to each other on a flat white plate, with other vegetables create a smiling face. You can use other hop sprouts cooked separately or: carrots, green beans, cherry tomatoes…
