While purposefully strolling through the local grocer’s produce aisle last week, my sous chef and I stumbled upon a display of white asparagus. Since he will tolerate a little asparagus, but isn’t an asparagus lover by any stretch of the imagination, I was surprised when he asked if we could buy a bunch. They were the same price as green asparagus, so I figured, “why not?” and we put them in our basket. I then got to thinking about how best to use this more mild version of the stalky veggie. Immediately, my mind went to a Swiss style preparation (specifically inspired by our Alpine Mushroom Toast), and we ventured to the deli/cheese area for some Prosciutto and Raclette. The last thing to do was whip up a loaf of bread (as it’s really hard to have toast without bread), so we made a Whole Wheat Sourdough loaf, and it all came together!
We actually made this dish for some friends who were over for dinner as well, and they raved about it…definitely a “make again” dish for us!
We served our toast as an entree component alongside a medley of sautéed peas, white asparagus, and carrots. However, it would also be a great appetizer or side dish to complement something like a Chicken Cordon Bleu (or if you’re feeling funky, Canard Cordon Bleu).
Time: 35 Minutes
Ingredients:
- Sourdough Bread
- Asparagus…green or white depending on availability and your preference.
- Raclette
- Raclette Seasoning
- Olive Oil
- Optional: Prosciutto or Schinken
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine some olive oil and raclette seasoning in a little bowl, and stir them together to infuse.
- Melt some butter in a pan.
- As your butter melts, snap the bottom ends off your asparagus to remove the chewy parts. Then, add your asparagus spears to your pan, and cook for 8-12 minutes until they begin to soften and caramelize.
- As your asparagus cooks, slice your bread, and place it on a baking sheet.
- Brush your seasoned oil on the top of your bread slices.
- Layer a slice of (optional) prosciutto on your bread.
- When your asparagus is done, arrange 3-4 spears atop your bread.
- Place your raclette atop everything, and finish it off with a sprinkle of raclette seasoning.
- Toast for 5-10 minutes to melt your cheese and crisp up the sides of your bread.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
