Asparagus Melt: Inspired by Moosewood

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I heart asparagus more than any other vegetable. Steamed is my favorite . . . so when I found a recipe for a "broccolini cheddar melt" in Moosewood's Simple Suppers cookbook, I decided to try it out with asparagus. Just as I suspected, I loved it. But it's imperative you cook the asparagus before slapping it onto the bread . . . otherwise, it'll be far too hard and crunchy to enjoy.

What you'll need . . .

• 10-12 asparagus stems
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2 large slices (or 4 small slices) whole wheat or multi-grain bread
• 3 ounces cheddar cheese (shredded)
• Dijon or yellow mustard

Method . . .

1. Rinse the asparagus and chop it into 1/2 inch-long pieces.
2. In a skillet on medium-high heat, cook the asparagus and garlic in the oil for 4 or 5 minutes (until it is bright green and just tender).
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then add about 1/4 cup of water to the pan -- steam the asparagus until the water has evaporated.
4. Remove from heat.
5. While the asparagus cooks, toast the bread, grate the cheese, and spread mustard on the toast -- placing it in a broiler pan.
6. Top each piece of toast with cooked asparagus and then a generous amount of cheese.
7. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling (3-5 minutes).
8. Serve hot, open-faced.

Looking another amazing Moosewood favorite? Head over to last month's Thai Butternut Squash Soup post. And if you're at all thinking of making the pilgrimage to Moosewood, I'll make your research a little easier:

Moosewood Restaurant
215 N. Cayuga Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
Directions

And while you're there, stop by GreenStar, a cooperative grocery market specializing in fair-trade, free-range, organic, vegetarian foods. Though I'm not entirely sure, I imagine Moosewood buys many of its ingredients there (locally). *Sniff* -- there I go getting sad again. Someday we'll move back!

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