Cooking web notes

Asparagus and Pea Toasts with Brie

This recipe was in our local newspaper yesterday, The Northwest Herald.  It definitely is a winner and I just want to share it with all of you.

It especially sounds good because of the fresh peas.  J. M. Hirsch states that “a growing number of grocers are carrying shelled fresh peas by the bag in the produce section.  They have a pleasantly fresh taste lost in frozen and canned varieties.”  To me, there is no comparison between fresh peas and canned or frozen so that is why this recipe appeals to me. 

This makes a wonderful bruschetta-like dish.  It’s filled with asparagus, brie, garlic, onions and seasonings spread on rustic sour-dough bread.  The article states that the asparagus and pea mixture also would be good tossed with cooked pasta.  If you go that route; it says, cut up the brie as best you can and toss that in, too.   You may need to add ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water to help create a sauce to coat the pasta. 

That sounds delicious to me also but for now I prefer it on the sour-dough bread.  It’s easy and delicious, for sure!

Asparagus and Pea Toasts with Brie

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

4 large slices rustic sour-dough bread (½-inch-thick)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 bunch asparagus, bottoms trimmed, cut into 1” lengths

1 cup fresh peas

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

6 to 8 ounces brie

Method:

Heat the oven to broil.

Divide butter between the bread slices, spreading it evenly over one side of each.

Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium, heat the olive oil.

Add garlic, onions, asparagus and peas. 

Sauté until the asparagus is just barely tender, about 4 minutes.

Remove pan from the heat.

Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the mint.

Set aside.

Place the bread slices under the broiler.

Toast until just lightly browned and butter is melted.

Remove the bread from the oven and smear a quarter of the brie over each slice.

Return to broiler for another minute.

Top each slice with a quarter of the asparagus and pea mixture.

Serve

Yum, love those fresh peas!

This entry was posted on Friday, February 3, 2012 at 4:20 AM and is filed under Appetizers, Asparagus, Bread, Brie, Garlic, Onions, Peas, Vegetables. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response.