Roasted Asparagus with Brie and Croutons: A creamy, hearty take on a spring vegetable

About the recipe

Perfect as an appetizer, side dish or a warm salad, this dish pairs creamy Brie and ever-so-slightly bitter asparagus.

When blanching any green vegetable, make sure the water is rapidly boiling before adding the salt and vegetables and work in batches to maintain the constant boil of the water.

You’ll also want to make sure that your blanching water is as salty as the ocean to season the asparagus and help preserve its vibrant green color. Properly blanched vegetables should have a good bite with no discernable crunch.

Serves: 4

Hands On Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

2 slices sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed

1/2 wheel Brie, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, toss the bread cubes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until well-coated. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and switch oven to broil.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. While the water is heating, prepare a large bowl of ice water. Add half of the asparagus to the boiling water, making sure the water maintains its boil. Cook until asparagus is just tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately plunge the asparagus in the ice water to stop the cooking process. Repeat with remaining asparagus. Once asparagus has cooled, remove from the ice water and pat dry.

Arrange asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the cheese on top of the asparagus and broil until the cheese has melted and asparagus has started to blister, 3 to 5 minutes. Divide between serving plates, garnish with croutons and serve.