Asparagus, Sundried Tomato & Olive Loaf

This bread recipe is from Mary Cadogan,She is one of the best cooks in U.K..I made little changes to her recipe,This savoury bread is very moist and perfect to have for breakfast with any butter or spread.Because of asparagus this will be little moist,you can slice them and toast it for more flavour and crunchyness.It will be better to eat fresh. 

Ingredients:

50ml olive oil , plus extra for greasing
10 asparagus spears , each cut into 3 pieces
100g self-raising flour
1 tsp thyme leaves(i used dried) or mixed herb will do
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
50ml milk
Handful pitted black olives
2tbsp sundried tomatoes , roughly chopped
50g cheddar cheese, grated

Method:


1.Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Oil and line the base of a loaf tin with baking paper. Cook the asparagus in boiling, salted water for 2 mins, drain, then cool quickly under cold running water. Pat dry.
2.Mix the flour and thyme with seasoning in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, then add the eggs, milk and oil, stirring all the time to draw the flour into the centre. Beat for 1 min to make a smooth batter.

3.Reserve 5 asparagus tips and a few olives. Add the remaining asparagus, tomatoes, olives and two-thirds of the cheese to the batter. Pour into the tin, then put the reserved asparagus and olives on top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 35-40 mins until the cake feels firm to the touch and is golden and crusty on top. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn out and cool on a wire rack.

Preparing and cooking asparagus
Rinse spears. Hold one at each end, then bend - it will break where the tough woody stem meets the edible tip. the best way to cook the spears is in boiling water in a wide, deep sauté pan. Green asparagus will take 3-5 minutes, depending on its thickness. Test by piercing a spear with the point of a knife - when cooked it will just slide in easily. White asparagus takes much longer to cook as it has a woodier texture. It needs 12-15 minutes - test as above.