Crostini With Roasted Garlic Pea Purée And Roasted Asparagus Andersen Food

SWEET PEA CROSTINI

Steps:

• For the Sweet Peas: Warm the chicken broth and red pepper flakes in a medium
• saucepan over medium-high heat until the broth boils. Add the frozen peas and cook until the peas are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the peas in a mesh sieve.
• Place the peas in a food processor with the mint, salt, and pepper. Puree the pea mixture. Place the pea puree in a medium bowl and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, for the crostini: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the baguette slices on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the oven until toasted and golden around the edges, about 10 minutes. While the crostini are still warm, drizzle the tops with extra-virgin olive oil. Using a whole clove of garlic in your fingertips, rub the top of the crostini a few times to give a hint of garlic.
• To finish, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the pea puree. Top each of the crostini with about 1 tablespoon of pea puree. Sprinkle with a bit of the diced prosciutto. Serve immediately.

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 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.

PEA PESTO CROSTINI

Steps:

• For the pea pesto: Pulse together the peas, garlic, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
• For the crostini: Preheat a stovetop griddle or grill pan on medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the sliced bread with olive oil and grill until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the bread to a clean surface and spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of the prepared pesto on each slice.
• Top with tomato halves and serve.
• *Cook's note: If you don't have day-old bread on hand, you can dry out fresh bread by putting the slices in a preheated 300 degree F oven until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes.

ROASTED GARLIC CROSTINI WITH ASSORTED TOPPINGS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Put the garlic in a roasting pan and drizzle on the olive oil. Toss to coat thoroughly. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the garlic bulbs are very tender but not overly brown. Test by carefully giving a bulb a gentle squeeze while protecting your hand with a folded kitchen towel or an oven glove. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
• 2. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut each head of garlic crosswise in half, midway between its leaf and root ends, to expose all the cloves inside. Their pulp will be golden brown and as soft as butter. You can squeeze it out of each half by hand or scoop it out with a small spoon or knife. Transfer the roasted garlic to a small bowl, pour in any olive oil from the baking dish, and stir and mash with a fork to form a smooth purée. You'll have 1/3 to 1/2 cup of purée, depending on the size of the garlic heads.
• 3. To make the Roasted Garlic Crostini, preheat the oven to 375° F. Brush the bread slices with the olive oil and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake them until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them cool to room temperature. Spread the puréed roasted garlic evenly on the tops of the crostini. Top the crostini with any of the options listed above, or make an assortment. Spread some with 1 tablespoon each of goat cheese; then decorate the cheese with strips of roasted bell pepper or a mixture of sun-dried tomato strips and capers, or a smear of tapenade. In place of the goat cheese, top others with diced tomato tossed with some fresh basil, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar; with prosciutto and Parmesan cheese; with anchovy fillets and freshly ground black pepper; or with slices of Roma tomato and fresh mozzarella, topped with fresh basil leaves.

ROASTED GARLIC CROSTINI

Steps:

• Trim tip off garlic head to expose cloves; place head on piece of foil.
• Drizzle oil over top; wrap in foil.
• Bake in 400°F oven until cloves are softened and caramelized, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, toast baguette slices on baking sheet in 400°F oven until golden, about 8 minutes.
• Spread pine nuts on small baking sheet; toast alongside baguette slices until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
• To serve, arrange baguette slices, garlic, pine nuts, goat cheese and parsley on serving plate.
• Using small fork, remove 2 roasted cloves from garlic bulb; spread on baguette slice.
• Top with goat cheese round, pine nuts and parsley.

ROASTED GARLIC, BRIE AND GRAPE CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine garlic and oil in small baking dish. Bake until garlic is tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving 3 tablespoons oil. Transfer garlic to processor. Add thyme and reserved oil; puree. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)
• Mix grapes, Port and 1 teaspoon rosemary in bowl. Let stand 15 minutes.
• Spread each toast slice with 1 teaspoon garlic. Spread 2 teaspoons Brie over. Top with grapes and herb sprigs.