Asparagus Appetizers 75 Recipes

ASPARAGUS BUNDLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Divide the asparagus spears into 12 bundles. Carefully wrap 1 piece of bacon around each bundle, starting about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the tips. Secure the bacon-wrapped spears with a toothpick. Lay the bundles in a low-sided casserole dish. In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, soy sauce, garlic salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Pour the hot sugar mixture over the asparagus bundles. Transfer the dish to the oven and roast until the spears have begun to wilt and the bacon looks fully cooked, about 25 minutes. Remove the toothpicks before serving.

LEMONY MARINATED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Snap or trim the tough ends of the asparagus and discard. Wash asparagus thoroughly.
• Fill a large bowl with water and ice. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot filled 3/4 of the way full with water to a full boil. Immerse asparagus and cook for about two minutes, until bright green.
• Plunge asparagus in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain.
• Lay asparagus in an 8 x 8 baking dish or container.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, honey, salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasons if desired.
• Pour vinaigrette over asparagus. Cover dish and refrigerate for 8 hours, or up to 24 hours.
• Remove asparagus from marinade and serve.

ASPARAGUS APPETIZERS

Steps:

• Trim crusts from bread, and flatten slightly with a rolling pin.
• In a bowl, stir blue and cream cheeses together with the egg until well blended and creamy. Spread a thin layer of cheese mixture over each slice of bread. Roll one asparagus spear inside each, and fasten with a toothpick.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan. Roll each asparagus wrap in butter to coat. Place on a baking sheet small enough to fit into the freezer, and freeze for one hour, or until butter hardens and wraps are somewhat firm. Remove pan from freezer, discard toothpicks, and cut each wrap in half crosswise. Store in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer until ready to use.
• To serve, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
• Arrange frozen asparagus wraps on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Check occasionally, and turn if necessary, for even browning and to prevent burning. Enjoy!

ROASTED BALSAMIC GARLIC ASPARAGUS APPETIZER

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
• Trim the asparagus: rinse the asparagus, cut about an inch off the ends, then use a vegetable peeler to take the outer layer off another inch of the remaining fibrous ends (easiest is to lay the spear on a flat surface then use peeler to gently take off the layer - careful, or you'll remove too much).
• Place the trimmed asparagus in a single layer on a non-stick baking sheet, then spray with an olive oil mister or drizzle evenly with olive oil (or spray with pan spray).
• Season with the sea salt and the freshly ground pepper.
• Place in oven and roast for 8 minutes (don't overcook).
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over very low heat melt the butter and extra virgin olive oil.
• Add the sliced garlic and simmer (again, over very low heat) for 5 minutes - careful not to burn.
• Remove from heat and add the soy sauce and balsamic.
• When asparagus is done, remove from the oven and place in a container which has an airtight cover.
• Place the garlic from the balsamic mixture on the asparagus; whisk the balsamic mixture well (I use a pigtail whisk) and pour it over the roasted asparagus.
• Cover tightly, shake, and place in refrigerator to chill (please note that the asparagus is still hot in the container, and that covering them and adding the sauce at this point will continue to steam them a bit for a few minutes).
• Chill for at least 4 hours before serving, the place attractively on serving platter.
• Goes well as part of an anti pasto course!
• Note: although I used these as an appetizer/snack, they could also work quite well as a side dish.

ASPARAGUS APPETIZER ROLL UPS

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to boil and blanch the asparagus. Drop into an ice bath to stop cooking.
• Roll out pie crust to 1/8 inch thickness.
• Slice the prosciutto into long thin strips.
• Starting at the top of the spear, wrap a strip of prosciutto around the asparagus, spiraling it down to the base. Do the same with the pie crust strips, overlaying the prosciutto.
• Lay each spear on a cookie sheet. When each one is wrapped, brush lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake at 350° for about 8 minutes, or until crust is golden.
• Serve warm.

ASPARAGUS APPETIZERS [75]

Steps:

• Trim crusts from bread, and flatten slightly with a rolling pin. In a bowl, stir blue and cream cheeses together with the egg until well blended and creamy. Spread a thin layer of cheese mixture over each slice of bread. Roll one asparagus spear inside each, and fasten with a toothpick. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Roll each asparagus wrap in butter to coat. Place on a baking sheet small enough to fit into the freezer, and freeze for one hour, or until butter hardens and wraps are somewhat firm. Remove pan from freezer, discard toothpicks, and cut each wrap in half crosswise. Store in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer until ready to use. To serve, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Arrange frozen asparagus wraps on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Check occasionally, and turn if necessary, for even browning and to prevent burning. Enjoy!