Savory Italian Asparagus Food

SAVORY ASPARAGUS STRATA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, mushrooms, garlic salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender., Place half of the bread cubes in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Top with asparagus mixture, goat cheese and remaining bread., In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, thyme, salt and remaining pepper. Pour over top; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Refrigerate, covered, overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. Remove strata from refrigerator while oven heats. Bake, uncovered, 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Meanwhile, prepare sauce mix according to package directions. Serve with strata.

ITALIAN ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Snap off tough ends of asparagus.
• Remove scales from stalks with a knife or veggie peeler, if desired.
• Arrange asparagus in a veggie steamer over boiling water.
• Cover and steam 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp tender, keep warm.
• Combine tomato and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl, stir well.
• To serve, spoon tomato mixture over asparagus, sprinkle with cheese.

SAVORY ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, bring 1/2 in. of water to a boil. Add asparagus; cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until crisp-tender. , Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the oil, tarragon, onion powder and pepper until blended. Drain asparagus; drizzle with oil mixture and toss to coat.

SAUTEED ASPARAGUS WITH OLIVES AND BASIL

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the asparagus, 1/4 teaspoon salt and some pepper and cook, stirring, until the asparagus is bright green and crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the olives, basil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss well. Serve.

SAVORY ITALIAN ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Remove scales with a knife or vegetable peeler, if desired. Cover and cook in small amount of boiling water 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain; arrange on serving platter and keep warm.
• Combine tomato and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl; stir well. Spoon tomato mixture over asparagus; sprinkle with cheese. Serve.

ASPARAGUS, SUNDRIED TOMATO & OLIVE LOAF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Oil and line the base of a loaf tin (approx 22 x 10 x 5cm) with baking paper. Cook the asparagus in boiling, salted water for 2 mins, drain, then cool quickly under cold running water. Pat dry.
• 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.
• 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.

ROASTED ITALIAN ASPARAGUS WITH PARMESAN

Steps:

• Mix garlic powder into dressing.
• Toss dressing with asparagus.
• Roast asparagus in 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle with parmesean and place under broiler for about 3 minutes.

GRILLED BACON WRAPPED ITALIAN ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• PREP.
• Wash then cut the asparagus stalks down a bit (usually 1-2 inches) to remove the tougher parts.
• Put the asparagus into a large ziploc bag and pour the Zesty Italian Dressing over the asparagus. Make sure all of the spears are going the same way. This will make it easier to mix around in the sauce.
• After mincing the garlic (bottled minced garlic works too), put it all onto the asparagus in the bag.
• Roll the dressing and garlic around in the bag and leave in the fridge for at least two hours to 4 hours, longer will let the flavor really get into the asparagus.
• After marinating is done, pull the asparagus out and wrap, the long way, with a bacon strip. Use a toothpick on the top and bottom of the asparagus to keep it on during cooking.
• Drop a couple pinches of pepper to taste on the wrapped spears.
• COOKING - Times depend on thickness of the Asparagus Spear and Bacon.
• With the temp around 350 for 3 to 4 minutes.Cover closed.
• Turn each spear over and resume grilling for another 4 minutes. Closed.
• Move the spears to the top rack and resume cooking for another three to four minutes. Again, with the cover closed.
• SERVING.
• Put it on a plate and eat with your favorite main course. Enjoy!

ASPARAGUS FLAN WITH CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Make flan:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter an 8- by 2-inch round cake pan and line bottom with a round of wax paper, then butter paper. 3Steam asparagus in a steamer set over boiling water, covered, until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Purée asparagus in a food processor until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. (You will have about 2 cups purée.)
• Whisk together eggs, milk, cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl, then whisk in asparagus purée.
• Pour asparagus mixture into pan and bake in a hot water bath until flan is set and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
• Transfer pan to a rack to cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Make sauce while flan cools:
• Put all sauce ingredients in a metal bowl, then set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Heat sauce, whisking until cheese and butter are melted, and then stirring with a wooden spoon, until sauce is slightly thickened and registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove bowl from pan.
• Run a thin knife around edge of flan to loosen, then invert a serving plate over pan and invert flan onto plate. Remove pan and discard paper. Cut flan into wedges and serve immediately with sauce.

ITALIAN ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Blanch asparagus and plunge in cold water to stop cooking.
• Dry asparagus.
• Put on attractive platter and top with red pepper (or store in Tupperware until ready to use).
• Whisk together all remaining ingredients and drizzle all over top of peppers and asparagus.
• Can serve chilled or room temperature.