Asparagus Crostini Recipes

CROSTINI WITH ROASTED GARLIC PEA PURéE AND ROASTED ASPARAGUS ANDERSEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cut 1/2-inch off top of garlic head and put head on sheet of foil. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over garlic and wrap tightly in foil. Roast garlic in middle of oven until very soft, 40 to 50 minutes, and cool.
• While garlic is cooling, arrange baguette slices in one layer on a large baking sheet and brush lightly on each side with additional oil. Bake slices in middle of oven until crisp and pale golden, 5 to 10 minutes, and transfer to rack.
• Squeeze roasted garlic from head into a food processor and add peas and salt and pepper to taste. Blend pea mixture until coarsely puréed. On baking sheet toss asparagus pieces with remaining tablespoon oil and sesame seeds and arrange in one layer. Roast asparagus in middle of oven, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 10 minutes.
• Spread toasts with pea purée and divide asparagus among them.

ASPARAGUS AND PROSCIUTTO CROSTINI WITH FONDUTA

Steps:

• Make fonduta:
• In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water melt butter. Add Fontina and milk and heat, stirring with a whisk, until cheese begins to melt. Whisk in yolks and cook, stirring constantly with whisk, until smooth and thickened slightly, about 7 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat and remove bowl from pan. Stir sauce 1 minute while water in pan cools slightly. Return bowl to pan and keep sauce warm over hot water (off heat), whisking occasionally to eliminate skin that forms on surface.
• Preheat broiler.
• On a baking sheet toast bread about 3 inches from heat, turning, until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Rub tops of crostini with cut side of garlic and brush with oil. Season crostini lightly with salt. Divide crostini among 4 plates and top with prosciutto.
• In a deep 10- to 12-inch skillet bring 1 1/4 inches salted water to a boil and cook asparagus until crisp-tender, about 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus with tongs to a colander and drain. Divide asparagus among crostini. Pour fonduta over them.

CROSTINI WITH GRILLED ASPARAGUS AND GREEN PEPPERCORN-TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high.
• Whisk the green peppercorns into the vinaigrette. Set aside.
• Brush the asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown on all sides and crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes total. Remove from the grill, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces, and toss with some of the vinaigrette.
• Brush the bread on one side with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, oiled-side down, until light golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute. Flip, and grill a few seconds more, just enough to warm¿the bread should still be tender when pressed.
• Top the toasted bread with some asparagus. Scatter the goat cheese, if using, on top and serve immediately.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, zest, mustard, tarragon, honey, and a little salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.

ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH RICOTTA CROSTINI

Steps:

• Cut asparagus stalks into thirds, separating tips, middles and ends. In a medium pot, bring 2 cups salted water to a boil. Add tips and cook until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain and reserve for garnish.
• Separate dark green leek tops from bottoms. Thinly slice the white leek bottoms and set aside.
• In a saucepan, combine leek tops, stock, asparagus bottoms and bay leaf. Simmer for 10 to 20 minutes; strain, discarding the solids and saving the stock.
• Return empty pot to medium-low heat. Add oil, white leek slices and rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until leeks are golden, about 5 minutes. Pour in 1 cup of the stock. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining stock and asparagus middles. Simmer, covered, over low heat, until asparagus is completely tender, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Press soup through a food mill (or purée in a blender, then strain through a coarse mesh sieve; nothing too fine, you want a little texture here). Return soup to pot. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Cover to keep warm.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread slices on a baking sheet and toast, turning halfway through, until bread is golden and dry to the touch, about 10 minutes.
• While bread toasts, season ricotta with tarragon, salt and pepper. Rub hot crostini with the cut side of the halved garlic cloves and slather with ricotta. Ladle soup into warm bowls and garnish with the asparagus tips. Serve with crostini.

ASPARAGUS CROSTINI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. With a pastry brush, lightly brush the slices of baguette with olive oil. Place pieces on pan, season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for about 5-7 minutes until golden.
• Blanch trimmed asparagus in rapidly boiling salted water for about 3 minutes. Transfer immediately to an ice bath. Remove once cooled to dry, then cut into 1-inch pieces.
• To assemble: Place a small piece of salmon on top of the crostini, then two pieces of asparagus, and top with one small slice of brie. Garnish with freshly cracked pepper.

ASPARAGUS, GREEN PEA, AND EGG SALAD CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool baking sheet on rack. Set aside.
• Spread asparagus pieces on parchment-lined small baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
• While asparagus is baking, blanch peas. Fill a small saucepan half full with water. Bring to a boil. Add peas and let cook 1 minute until peas are bright green. Immediately drain peas in a strainer and run cold water over them. Shake off excess water and set aside.
• To make egg salad: cut hard-boiled eggs in half. Separate egg whites and yolks. Chop egg whites into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside. Put the egg yolks in a small-medium bowl. Add mayonnaise to the egg yolks and mix with a fork until smooth. Add salt and pepper and mix. Add chopped egg whites, peas, and cooled asparagus. Stir.
• Wash and gently pat dry basil leaves with a cloth or paper towel. To assemble, put 2 medium basil leaves on each baguette toast. Using two small spoons, place 1 to 2 tablespoons egg salad in the middle of the toast on top of the basil so the basil shows at either end. Garnish with smaller basil leaves.
• These crostini are best made just before serving, but can be made up to 2 hours in advance and kept refrigerated before serving.
• Tips
• Substitute frozen peas for fresh. Follow the recipe to blanch them.
• Try other garnishes on top of the egg salad: dried basil, paprika, red chili flakes, grated Parmesan cheese.
• Nutrition Information
• Serving size: 1 serving
• Calories: 123
• Fat: 6g (41.8% calories from fat)
• Cholesterol: 45mg
• Sodium: 213mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 14g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 4g

GOAT CHEESE AND ASPARAGUS CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat and preheat the broiler.
• Drizzle the asparagus with some of the olive oil. Toss to coat and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on the grill pan and cook until tender and grill marks form, 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Remove, let cool slightly and cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces, about the size of the bread.
• Brush the bread on both sides generously with oil and place on a baking sheet. Rub the garlic all over one side of each slice. Broil until golden and crispy, 2 minutes per side. Remove and let cool slightly.
• Slather some of the goat cheese on the garlicky side of each piece of bread, then top each with 2 to 3 pieces of the grilled asparagus and a few of the cherry tomatoes. Return to the oven just until the cheese is melted and warmed, about 2 minutes.

GRILLED ASPARAGUS WITH CAMEMBERT CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat grill or broiler oven. Snap off woody ends of each asparagus stalk and place asparagus into a large ziptop bag. Add in oil, vinegar and some salt and pepper. Seal bag and shake contents to coat asparagus well. Slice camembert and top bread slices with it.
• Place asparagus and cheese bread onto the grill. Grill asparagus about 4 minutes per side and toast bread until crisp and cheese has melted. Transfer bread onto a cutting board and top with five or six asparagus spears. With a large knife, cut bread into three or four smaller pieces and transfer to a serving platter.
• Drizzle bread with more balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS CROSTINI

Steps:

• For an easy party snack, spread fresh ricotta on toasted baguette slices, then top with thinly sliced asparagus. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil or truffle oil.