Recipes

A+ Asparagus

Casserole Queens|

A+ Asparagus
3 (9 ratings)
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The spring staple asparagus finds its way into a cold-weather dish in this recipe, combining artichokes and mushrooms with smoky spices and Cheddar cheese. Click here to see more casserole recipes.
Servings
6
Ingredients
  • 2 pound fresh asparagus
  • 7 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • one 12-ounce jar marinated artichokes, drained and rinsed
  • 1 pound baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup ritz cracker crumbs
  • cooking spray
  • 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 4 ounce grated cheddar cheese
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Hold an asparagus spear with both hands, about 2 inches from the tip and the end. Gently bend the asparagus until it snaps. It will break at the point where the stem is too tough to be enjoyable; discard the stem. Repeat for all of your asparagus. Cook the asparagus in boiling water until crisp tender, 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  3. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a medium sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts and mushrooms, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Set aside.
  5. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small bowl. Add the cracker crumbs and stir well. Put ¾ of the cracker crumbs in a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish that has been greased with cooking spray. Spoon the artichoke mixture on top of the crumbs and top with the asparagus.
  7. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan set over medium heat. Add the flour and cook until it turns light brown and forms a paste. Slowly stir in the heavy cream, cayenne, paprika, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Pour the sauce over the vegetables, and sprinkle with the cheese and the remaining ¼ cup of cracker crumbs.
  9. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted.
 
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