Asparagus with Rich and Creamy Cheese Sauce

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April is peak season for asparagus!

Springtime is here and you can always find an abundance of fresh asparagus at you grocery store. There is nothing better, or easier,  you can add to your meal than a dish of asparagus. It is so easy to prepare, whether you are baking, grilling, or steaming.  This hardy little veggie will become one of your favorite recipes for Easter and other special occasion meals, as well as just a regular middle of the week dinner time meal.

Once you have washed your asparagus, take a bunch in your hands and snap the stems. Wherever they snap on the stem, is what you cook.  Discard the end of the stems.

For this recipe we are steaming the asparagus. If you don’t have a steamer, you can make your own. Since I couldn’t find mine, I had to improvise, something every cook must learn to do!

Take a deep saucepan and fill bottom with water. Over the top of this, add a metal colander. Be sure you haven’t added too much water in your saucepan so it seeps into the colander. You don’t want  the water bubbling up into the asparagus as it  boils.

When the water has come to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Let this simmer for about five minutes. Remove from heat and move on to the cream sauce.

The Creamy Cheese Sauce…

If you have ever made gravy, this is similar. You are making a roux, which is essentially rendering a fat with a flour base and adding a liquid.

Here we will melt butter over medium high heat and slowly add in your sifted flour. Sift the flour so it will not form in your sauce. Once the flour and butter are well mixed, add the milk all at once and stir vigorously. Turn the heat down to medium low and continue stirring until the mixture thickens.

Once the sauce has thickened, add your wine and dry mustard. Make sure your sauce is now on low heat or it will burn easily. Any time you are dealing with milk, it tends to burn very quickly.

Now you can remove from heat and add the cheese. Stir as you add in the cheese and it will melt as soon as it is poured in. I am using swiss for it’s extra pungency but you may add your favorite instead.

Arrange your asparagus in your serving dish and pour your sauce over it.

I’m sure you will be making this one more than once this spring. And it really is a quick and easy side dish to make. I have paired this dish with a nice baked salmon. Asparagus will also go well with ham. You will find it is a light vegetable as well as versatile. Add the white wine and your meal is complete!

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Asparagus with Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. Fresh Asparagus
• 2 Tbsp. Butter
• 2 Tbsp. Flour
• 1 Cup Milk
• 1 Tsp. Dry Mustard
• 1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
• 1 Cup Shredded Swiss or Cheddar Cheese

Instructions

1. Wash asparagus and snap off ends.

2. Place asparagus in steamer and steam for 5 minutes. Set aside.

3. For Sauce, melt butter in saucepan over medium high heat. 

4. Slowly add in flour and mix until there are no lumps.

5. Add milk to flour mixture and whisk until combined.

6. Cook over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly.

7. Add in wine and dry mustard and continue stirring.

8. Add cheese and remove from heat.

9. Place asparagus in serving dish and top with cream sauce.

Irish Mashed Potatoes this way…

This post was written by Macy, the incredible mother & mother-in-law of the bloggers here at Puppies & Piña Coladas. She loves spending time with her daughters, granddoggies and grandkitty. She is a phenomenal southern cook and will be posting her secret recipes and amazing crafts regularly on the site.