Asparagus Soup With Ricotta Crostini Recipes

ASPARAGUS CROSTINI

Steps:

• For an easy party snack, spread fresh ricotta on toasted baguette slices, then top with thinly sliced asparagus. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil or truffle oil.

PENNE WITH RICOTTA AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with enough salt that the water tastes salty. Add the asparagus and cook until tender but still firm, about 4 minutes. Lift out the asparagus with tongs and transfer to an ice bath. Cut into 1/8 -inch slices, leaving tips intact.
• Bring the water back to a boil and add the penne.
• Meanwhile, rub a large serving bowl with the garlic. Add the ricotta, olive oil and 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water; blend. When the pasta is done, drain it (reserving some water) and add it to the ricotta mixture. Top with the asparagus and half the Parmesan cheese, then fold everything together. Season to taste, adding some reserved pasta water if needed. Divide among 4 shallow bowls and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

CREAM OF FRESH ASPARAGUS SOUP II

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine asparagus, chopped onion, and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until asparagus is tender, about 12 minutes. Process the mixture in a blender to puree the vegetables. Set aside.
• In the same saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Whisk in the remaining chicken broth, and increase the heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture boils. Stir in the asparagus puree and the milk.
• Put the sour cream in a small bowl, and stir in a ladleful of the hot soup. Add the sour cream mixture and the lemon juice to the soup. Stir while heating the soup to serving temperature, but don't allow it to boil. Serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH RICOTTA CROSTINI

Steps:

• Cut asparagus stalks into thirds, separating tips, middles and ends. In a medium pot, bring 2 cups salted water to a boil. Add tips and cook until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain and reserve for garnish.
• Separate dark green leek tops from bottoms. Thinly slice the white leek bottoms and set aside.
• In a saucepan, combine leek tops, stock, asparagus bottoms and bay leaf. Simmer for 10 to 20 minutes; strain, discarding the solids and saving the stock.
• Return empty pot to medium-low heat. Add oil, white leek slices and rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until leeks are golden, about 5 minutes. Pour in 1 cup of the stock. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining stock and asparagus middles. Simmer, covered, over low heat, until asparagus is completely tender, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Press soup through a food mill (or purée in a blender, then strain through a coarse mesh sieve; nothing too fine, you want a little texture here). Return soup to pot. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Cover to keep warm.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread slices on a baking sheet and toast, turning halfway through, until bread is golden and dry to the touch, about 10 minutes.
• While bread toasts, season ricotta with tarragon, salt and pepper. Rub hot crostini with the cut side of the halved garlic cloves and slather with ricotta. Ladle soup into warm bowls and garnish with the asparagus tips. Serve with crostini.

LEMON-HERB ASPARAGUS CROSTINI

Steps:

• Toss 1/2 pound asparagus (trimmed and thinly sliced) with 2 tablespoons each lemon juice and chopped basil, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and a pinch each of salt and red pepper flakes. Rub toasted baguette slices with a halved garlic clove. Top with ricotta, the asparagus and chopped chives.

ASPARAGUS AND PROSCIUTTO CROSTINI WITH FONDUTA

Steps:

• Make fonduta:
• In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water melt butter. Add Fontina and milk and heat, stirring with a whisk, until cheese begins to melt. Whisk in yolks and cook, stirring constantly with whisk, until smooth and thickened slightly, about 7 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat and remove bowl from pan. Stir sauce 1 minute while water in pan cools slightly. Return bowl to pan and keep sauce warm over hot water (off heat), whisking occasionally to eliminate skin that forms on surface.
• Preheat broiler.
• On a baking sheet toast bread about 3 inches from heat, turning, until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Rub tops of crostini with cut side of garlic and brush with oil. Season crostini lightly with salt. Divide crostini among 4 plates and top with prosciutto.
• In a deep 10- to 12-inch skillet bring 1 1/4 inches salted water to a boil and cook asparagus until crisp-tender, about 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus with tongs to a colander and drain. Divide asparagus among crostini. Pour fonduta over them.

ASPARAGUS CROSTINI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. With a pastry brush, lightly brush the slices of baguette with olive oil. Place pieces on pan, season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for about 5-7 minutes until golden.
• Blanch trimmed asparagus in rapidly boiling salted water for about 3 minutes. Transfer immediately to an ice bath. Remove once cooled to dry, then cut into 1-inch pieces.
• To assemble: Place a small piece of salmon on top of the crostini, then two pieces of asparagus, and top with one small slice of brie. Garnish with freshly cracked pepper.