Asparagus revisited

My daughter is coming home and is asking for protein en masse.
I am looking at brunch on the 24th. She loves anything Spanish, so how about letting asparagus take a starring role, supported with scrambled eggs,  and chorizo! Vaya!
This is a NYT inspired dish that you can do wonders with.

3 T olive oil
3 Shallots, chopped
3 teaspoon garlic, peeled, minced, divided
2 c bread cubes 1/2 inch cuts
1 t ground turmeric
Salt and pepper for seasoning
2 ounces Spanish chorizo, diced
1 bunch asparagus, tender part
1 bunch green onions, chopped
8 eggs, beaten
1/2 t pimento
2 T cilantro, chopped  

In a large, heavy, cast-iron skillet, add 1T olive oil over med-high heat.
Add shallots and 2 t garlic and cook to brown lightly.
Set aside and add turmeric, salt and pepper to bread cubes.
Saute in 2 T olive oil  a couple minutes till lightly brown.
Set bread cubes aside and add chorizo to skillet, sauté lightly.
Add asparagus to skillet, seasoned with salt and pepper,
saute 2-3 minutes. Don't over cook.
Add green onions and balance of garlic.
Cook 1 minute. Add pimento to beaten eggs, season with salt and pepper. Pour into skillet
stirring. Cook 3 minutes until soft and creamy.
Add cilantro, top with sautéed bread cubes.
Serve immediately.









Add 2 t garlic

Pico de gallo

1 mango, peeled, diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 plum tomato, diced
1/4 bunch cilantro, diced
1 lime, zest, juiced. Save zest for other use
Salt and pepper
Mix all the ingredients and let sit one hour
Serve with chips etc.

Ole! To Mole

Today I did my fiesta Cinco de Mayo table. My pico de gallo was outstanding.  I had some large flour tortillas, tacos, a nice ripe mango and fresh cilantro. So who needs chocolate for a Mole. I do!
Today, across Mexico, mole has become a mass-produced product.
There is continued debate about just when, where and why mole poblano became the the most famous Mexican dish. Like other traditional dishes, it is not consumed everyday. Though very labor intensive, it is worth the sacrifice.

                          Mole Probano
1 chicken, clean and prep into 8 pieces
1 T sofrito
Oil for frying
1 sweet onion, sliced, sauteed
4  garlic cloves, sauteed
1 corn tortilla, fried
2 T Olive oil
2 ounces pumpkin seeds
2 ounces walnuts, roasted
3 T roasted peanuts
3 T raisins, fried
2 T sesame seeds, toasted
1 15 ounce diced tomatoes, drained
1 ripe plantain, baked or boiled, skin and core removed, chopped
3 each: mulato chiles, ancho, chipote and pasilla seeded
6 black peppercorns
1/8 t cloves
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
2 ounces chocolate
salt to taste

Prep chicken into 8 pieces. Season with sofrito. Cover and refrigerate.
Devein chiles, save some seeds, tear into flat pieces.
Break up tomatoes and chocolate in a large bowl
Add grind cloves, peppercorns, sesame seeds, balance of spices, garlic, onions, tortilla, nuts, raisins, plantain to tomatoes and chocolate.
Fry chiles in oil. drain. Reconstitute chiles by submerging in hot water for one hour.
Puree the mixture in batches. Puree chiles. 
Fry chicken pieces and set aside
Leave a small residue of oil in pan and add chile puree
Simmer 5 minutes until darken and thick. Add tomato puree and 5 cups stock. Simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Season to taste and serve over chicken