Asparagus Cordon Bleu

Asparagus Cordon Bleu is easy and can be assembled in advance. It’s impressive and elegant enough for your finest dinner party! Asparagus, prosciutto, melty cheese with a crispy breadcrumb topping!

Here’s a recipe you’ll want to keep in your repertoire for easy, elegant entertaining!

Asparagus is pretty pricey most of the year, but lower-priced asparagus is one of the first harbingers of spring. This dish is rustic yet elegant and the perfect way to showcase it!

Asparagus, prosciutto, melty cheese with a crispy breadcrumb topping. Mmmwhaaaaah!!!

Honestly, I don’t think there’s any vegetable sexier or better to photograph than asparagus.  Amiright with this photo?

What to look for when buying fresh asparagus:

• Make sure it’s bright green with no sign of shriveling.
• It should be difficult to bend.
• The tips should be closed and have no sign that the asparagus came into contact with water (the tips deteriorate and get mushy rapidly when in contact with moisture).  This can be a little tricky if the market sprays its produce.
• Once home, use within 1-2 days. If you need to store it longer, cut approximately ½-inch from the bottom then place in a glass or jar of water and cover it loosely with a plastic bag.

How to trim asparagus:

• To determine how much to trim, bend one of the stalks near the bottom until it breaks.
• Where it breaks is where you should cut the remainder as they’re all typically the same size in the bunch and were probably growing next to each other.

How to make Asparagus Cordon Bleu:

• Gather and prep all the ingredients:
  • Asparagus
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Prosciutto
  • Gruyere cheese
  • Panko breadcrumbs
  • Butter
  • Parsley

• Prepare an ice bath, then get a pot of water to a rolling boil.
• Throw in a generous amount of salt–like a good tablespoon or so. According to a personal chef mentor of mine, the water should taste like the ocean.
• Drop the asparagus in for about 10-15 seconds or so, just until it turns bright green.
• Quickly remove and drop it into the ice bath.  There’s a whole lot of chemistry going on in that process.  This “shocking” process is going to set the color and keep it from turning any sort of funky green color later.

• Remove from the ice bath and dab it dry on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
• Divide the asparagus into eight even bundles then wrap in prosciutto (also known as Parma ham).
• Place in a prepared baking dish.

• Sprinkle with Gruyere cheese but leave the tips visible.

• Top with a breadcrumb and butter combination…

• Bake, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and you have a wonderful show-stopping spring side dish you can make ahead!  Sooo easy!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Let’s eat!

Serve with:

• Baked Tilapia with Spinach Pecan Pesto
• Shrimp Scampi with Artichokes
• Chicken with Romesco Sauce and Saffron Cauliflower Rice
• Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
• Turkey Scallopini in Sherry Cream Sauce with Mushrooms and Artichokes
• Slow Cooker Boneless Beef Short Ribs Bourguignon
• Cabernet Braised Beef Short Ribs with Cauliflower Leek Puree

More asparagus recipes you’ll love:

• Chicken Asparagus Divan
• Breakfast Strata with Asparagus, Artichokes, Ham and Gruyere
• Arugula, Egg and Asparagus Salad with Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette
• Asparagus Prosciutto and Fontina Tortino
• Cream of Asparagus and Leek Soup with Curry
• Lemony Lentil, Asparagus and Tomato Salad with Feta Cheese
• Roasted Asparagus with Goat Cheese and Walnut Lemon Gremolata

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