Roasted Asparagus and Creamy Cheese Sauce
- 7 ounces Fontina cheese from Valle dAosta, cut into small dice
- Whole milk to cover
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
- Truffle oil, truffle paste (see note below), or shaved fresh truffle (optional)
- 2 pounds asparagus
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 450F.
- To make the fonduta, in a bowl, combine the cheese and milk, cover, and let rest in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
- The cheese will absorb some of the milk.
- Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus spears, and then trim the ends so they are even.
- If the spears are very thick, peel the bottom half with a vegetable peeler, Pour the olive oil into a shallow bowl large enough to accommodate the length of the spears, and roll the spears in the oil.
- Arrange the spears in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, allowing a little space between them, Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place the asparagus in the oven and roast until tender, 7 to 10 minutes; the timing will depend on the thickness of the spears.
- Meanwhile, to finish the fonduta, melt the butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water.
- Add the cheese and milk and stir in the egg yolks.
- Cook gently, stirring often, until the cheese is melted and creamy, about 10 minutes, Season with salt and pepper and stir in the truffle oil, if you like it.
- Remove the asparagus from the oven and arrange on individual plates.
- Spoon the fonduta over the tips and serve immediately.
- Variations: Instead of roasting the asparagus spears, you can saute them in 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in a nonstick pan over low heat, turning them often, until they are lightly browned and tender, about 8 minutes.
- You can also forgo the fonduta.
- Top the asparagus with grated Parmesan cheese in its place.
daosta, milk, unsalted butter, egg yolks, truffle oil, asparagus, extra virgin olive oil, salt
Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/roasted-asparagus-and-creamy-cheese-sauce (may not work)