Three Cheese Asparagus Gratin Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, shallots and wine. Place over medium heat and simmer until reduced by half, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Spread pecans on a baking sheet and bake, stirring once or twice, until toasted, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place a skillet over low heat, add panko, and stir until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. When pecans are toasted, remove from oven and set aside to cool.
• Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. When the pecans are cool, place in a blender and chop for a few seconds until coarsely ground. Mix with panko and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl combine asparagus, reduced cream, fontina, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Mix well and place in a gratin dish that is about 10 inches long and 4 inches wide, or an other shallow, ovenproof baking dish. Bake until asparagus are tender, the sauce is bubbling and the top is turning golden, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with pecan-bread crumb mixture. In a separate bowl, mix the endive and radicchio with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread over the top of the asparagus gratin. Serve hot.

Steps:

• Adjust an oven rack to about 4 inches from the heat source; turn on the broiler. Grease a shallow medium baking pan or gratin dish with the butter.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until bright green and tender, about 5 minutes. Remove to an ice bath to stop the cooking then drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Add the cheese to the food processor and pulse until large crumbs form. Add the parsley and pulse 3 or 4 more times until it is about the same size as the cheese crumbs. Tear the bread into pieces and add to the food processor. Pulse a few times, then let the machine run for a few seconds, until coarsely chopped.
• Put the asparagus in the dish and top with the breadcrumb mixture. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden. Sprinkle with a few grinds pepper and the paprika if you like, and serve.

Steps:

• Toss 2 pounds asparagus with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a 3-quart baking dish. Roast at 425˚ F until crisp-tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Mix 1/4 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons grated pecorino, 1 tablespoon chopped thyme and 1 tablespoon melted butter. Sprinkle over the asparagus. Broil until the breadcrumbs are golden, 2 to 4 minutes.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan heat the butter until frothy. Stir in the flour and cook slowly, stirring constantly, for a minute. Add the milk and broth, whisking vigorously and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese, remove the sauce from the heat and whisk it just until the cheese has melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Arrange the asparagus in the bottom of a baking dish. Top with sliced eggs and spoon the sauce over the top. Top with bread crumbs mixed with cheese and drizzle melted butter over the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbly.

Steps:

• Preheat broiler, with rack 6 inches from heating element. Brush 4 small (8-ounce capacity) gratin dishes with butter. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add pasta and cook according to package directions 1 minute less than al dente. Add asparagus and cook 1 minute more; drain.
• Meanwhile, heat milk in a medium pot over medium-high until just simmering. Add cream cheese; whisk until smooth. Reserve 1/4 cup each cheddar and Gruyere; add remaining cheeses and butter to pot and whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add cooked pasta and asparagus; stir to coat. Divide mixture among prepared dishes; sprinkle with reserved cheeses.
• Broil, rotating dishes once, until pasta is crisp and browned in places, 1 to 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 500 degrees; while it heats, put bread in, and check frequently until it is lightly toasted and dry. Coarsely grind or grate bread and cheese together (a small food processor is best), and keep crumbs larger than commercial bread crumbs.
• Rinse asparagus, and break off woody bottoms. Lay stalks in a baking dish that will hold them in two or three layers. Toss with bits of butter or the oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place in oven.
• Roast 5 minutes, then shake dish to redistribute butter or oil. Roast 5 minutes more, then test for doneness by piercing a spear with point of a sharp knife; it should slide in but meet a little resistance. (Up to this point, the recipe can be made as much as two hours before serving; just leave asparagus at room temperature).
• Turn on broiler and place rack as close as possible to heating element. Top asparagus with cheese-crumb mixture and run under broiler to brown, a minute or two. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss bread-crumbs with oil; season with salt and pepper. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until crisp and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
• Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add asparagus. Return to a boil and cook until crisp-tender, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Add potatoes to pot; cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain. Arrange potatoes in the bottom of an 8 1/2-by-11 1/2-inch or 2-quart baking dish (about 1 1/2 inches deep).
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook until it has a slightly nutty aroma, about 30 seconds. Gradually (to avoid lumps) whisk in milk. Bring mixture to a boil and cook, whisking, until thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; add both cheeses and whisk until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour half of sauce over potatoes. Arrange prosciutto and half of asparagus on top. Drizzle with remaining sauce. Top with remaining asparagus, then bread-crumbs. (Dish can be made to this point and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 day; add 10 minutes to baking time.) Bake until bubbling around edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly; serve, sprinkled with more Pecorino and chive blossoms.

Steps:

• Butter a 2- to 2 1/2-quart shallow ceramic flameproof baking dish.
• Cook asparagus in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain in a colander, then transfer to baking dish and keep warm, tightly covered with foil.
• Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until foam subsides, then cook shallots, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 3 minutes. Add bread and pine nuts and cook, stirring, until browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add pepper, 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, tossing to combine.
• Preheat broiler.
• Toss warm asparagus with mascarpone, remaining 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined well.
• Sprinkle bread-crumb mixture evenly over asparagus. Broil 5 to 7 inches from heat until topping is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.