Asparagus Pate Sandwich Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a pot of well salted water to a boil over high heat.
• Trim off up to 1 inch of the woody bottom parts of the asparagus. Cut asparagus in half if necessary to fit your pot.
• Transfer asparagus to the boiling water. Boil until slightly tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer asparagus to a bowl of very cold water using a slotted spoon. Let asparagus cool completely.
• Grate Pecorino Romano cheese finely using a rasp grater.
• Drain asparagus well and slice into very small pieces. Place in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add cayenne pepper, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and bread crumbs. Mix in 1 egg to start. Add the second egg and continue mixing until well combined.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Scoop some of the asparagus mixture into the hot oil; flatten with a fork. Cook until bottom is browned, about 4 minutes. Flip over and brown the other side, about 4 minutes more.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to broil.
• Thaw and drain asparagus. Combine asparagus with cream cheese in large bowl with an electric mixer or wooden spoon until roughly blended.
• Add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, salt and pepper; blend until mixture is smooth and even.
• Butter one side of each piece of sourdough bread and sprinkle parmesan cheese over. Lightly pat the cheese into the butter so that it stays on the bread while broiling.
• Place bread slices on a lightly greased cookie sheet, cheese side down.
• With a butter knife, carefuly spread the asparagus pate evenly onto the top of each slice. Add sun-dried tomatoes.
• Place under broiler and broil pate side until warm.
• With a spatula, turn one slice onto another, forming four sandwiches, and broil each side until lightly golden brown.
• Makes 4 sandwiches.
• Great served with a rich tomato soup such as recipe #117907 for a special luncheon.

Steps:

• For the hops oil: Fill a glass bottle to the top with the hops, about 4 cups depending on the size of the bottle. Zest and juice 10 of the lemons and reserve for the citrus shallot dressing. Juice the remaining 2 lemons and reserve 1/2 cup juice for the hummus. Slice the lemon rinds and add them to the bottle. Add the olive oil until the bottle is full. Turn the bottle upside down so the hops and rinds float upwards, infusing the oil. The longer the oil sits, the stronger the flavor. Infuse for a minimum of 48 hours, turning the bottle several times a day.
• For the hummus: Pour the beans into a large stockpot. Cover with cold water until the water line is about 3 inches above the beans. Partially cover the stockpot with a lid and bring the water to a boil over medium-low heat. Simmer the beans slowly so they don't crack and break, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. If the water has been completely absorbed but the beans don't seem tender, add a bit of warm water and continue cooking to the desired texture. Drain any excess water and pour the beans onto a cookie sheet in an even layer to cool.
• For the citrus shallot dressing: Add the orange zest and juice to a mixing bowl with the reserved zest and juice of 10 lemons. Add the olive oil and shallots and use a whisk or blender to mix together. Refrigerate until using.
• To finish the hummus, puree the basil and garlic in a blender or food processor. Add the cooled beans and process. While the blender is running, gradually add the reserved 1/2 cup lemon juice and the olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until using.
• For the roasted red bell peppers: Roast the peppers by placing them on an open gas flame, turning them frequently with tongs, until all sides are charred black, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Peel the peppers, removing the skins, seeds and stems. Dice the peppers, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Set aside.
• For the sandwiches: Prepare a grill to medium-high heat.
• Drizzle olive oil over the asparagus spears and red onion slices. Season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables about 1 minute per side. Grill each side of the ciabatta halves until lightly browned.
• To assemble: Spread a small amount of hummus in the middle of each plate to keep the sandwich from sliding around when fully assembled. Place a grilled ciabatta half on top of the hummus and spread a generous amount of hummus on top of each ciabatta half, about 1/4 cup. Add some roasted red bell peppers and grilled red onions.
• In a small bowl, toss the arugula in the citrus shallot dressing. Pile up some arugula on top of each bread piece, followed by 4 spears of grilled asparagus. Finish with the pear tomatoes and sliced Fresno chiles. Lightly drizzle the hops oil over the sandwiches. Season with salt and coarsely ground black pepper.

Steps:

• Wash the asparagus under cold running water. Snap off and discard the tough bottom portion. If using thicker asparagus, scrape each stalk to remove the skin, then cut it into thirds lengthwise, leaving the the asparagus head intact.
• In a medium-size saucepan, heat the oil until just warm. Add the asparagus and salt. Saute over medium heat, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Cover and cook for another 2 minutes, shaking the pan or stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, break the eggs into a bowl and beat, adding a pinch of salt and pepper. Cut the bread in half lengthwise. Remove the soft, doughy part and toast the loaf slightly.
• Uncover the asparagus, raise the heat slightly and add the eggs, stirring. Cook for 1 minute, or until the eggs are set. Scoop onto the bread and cut in half.