This recipe is part of my snack series and not an actual dinner. As a snack or appetizer prosciutto-wrapped asparagus is a classic example of the simple and delicious food that I like so much. There are only three ingredients; prosciutto, low fat cream cheese, ans asparagus. The beauty of this snack is the way the ingredients work together. Prosciutto, cream cheese, and asparagus are each vary different flavors and textures but when combined they become more than the sum of their parts. Prosciutto is an Italian dry-cured ham that is thinly sliced and served uncooked, as usual for an Italian artisan meat it is full of flavor and delicious.
Cream cheese is self-explanatory, it tastes great in everything. If you don't believe me try mixing a small amount into a bowl of chili. Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables, I like the flavor and I like the versatility of it.
The things to consider when making this are first the prosciutto, it is paper thin and tears easily. The way to avoid tearing the prosciutto is to use cream cheese that is at room temperature and has been softened so that it spreads easily. Second, the asparagus, canned asparagus won't work in this recipe because it is too soft and flexible. You should use fresh asparagus that has the woody ends trimmed off and has been blanched. This will give you asparagus that has a firm snap, a delicious taste, and is easy to work with. The third thing to consider when making this snack is the cost. Prosciutto is an expensive item and may deter you from making this recipe but I encourage you to make it at least once.
I'm a little apprehensive to mention it but the double batch of prosciutto-wrapped asparagus in the picture above will run you about $50.
So now that we've gone over the basics, let's look at today's recipe.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus
Prep time 10 Min. Cook time 5 Min. Serves 20
Ingredients
1/2 tsp salt, for cooking water
1 pound uncooked asparagus, thick spears, ends trimmed (about 20 per bunch)
12 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced into 20 pieces
1/4 cup low fat cream cheese
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Fill a large bowl with ice water.
Fill a large stock pot with water; stir in salt. Set over high heat; bring to a rolling boil. Blanch asparagus just until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes depending on asparagus thickness. Drain; immediately plunge asparagus into ice bath. Let asparagus chill 3 to 5 minutes; place in a single layer on prepared baking sheet to dry.
Lightly spread a dab of cream cheese down center of each prosciutto rectangle; place asparagus stalks across narrow bottom end of prosciutto at a slight angle. Gently wrap prosciutto around asparagus so it covers stalks. Place asparagus on a serving platter; sprinkle with vinegar and season with several grinds of black pepper just before serving.
This recipe yields 1 asparagus per serving.
This is a wonderfully easy snack that will have all of your friends talking and asking you for the recipe. This snack can be prepared up to a day before serving. Simply cover with a damp paper towel and wrap in plastic wrap.
Garnish with vinegar and pepper just before serving. If you try this recipe come back here and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out.
Next week - Eggplant Parmigiana or Semantics.
No comments:
Post a Comment