Every Christmas, Crystal’s family (the Cook side) gets together for a holiday party at her Aunt Mary Ann’s. Since the family is so large, it’s the one time of year that everyone makes the effort to be there to visit with one another. Everyone brings a dish for the buffet, and we all eat like kings and queens. Crystal’s Aunt Sonja is known as one of the family’s best cooks. Always aiming to impress her guests, she relies on this side dish to do just that. And if you ever thought asparagus was boring, you’ll change your mind once you taste it all dolled up with shallots, artichokes, and baby portobella mushrooms. It’s a real showstopper.

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 to 8 servings

　　Cooking spray

　　2 pounds fresh asparagus

　　7 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　2 shallots, minced

　　2 garlic cloves, minced

　　1 (12-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed

　　1 pound baby bella mushrooms, thickly sliced

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs

　　2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

　　1 3/4 cups heavy cream

　　1/4 teaspoon cayenne

　　1 teaspoon smoked paprika

　　4 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated (1 cup)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

　　

Step 2

Hold an asparagus spear with both hands, about 2 inches from the ends. 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 your asparagus. Cook the asparagus in boiling water until crisp tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.

　　

Step 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 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Set aside.

　　

Step 4

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small bowl. Add the cracker crumbs and stir well. Put three-quarters of the cracker crumbs into the prepared casserole dish. Spoon the artichoke mixture on top of the crumbs and top with the asparagus.

　　

Step 5

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 cream, cayenne, paprika, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 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 cracker crumbs.

　　

Step 6

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted.

　　

notes

Step 7

Vegetarian friendly!

　　

Step 8

Paprika is made from ground dried bell peppers or chiles. It can range from sweet to spicy, depending on the kind of pepper used. Smoked paprika is generally harder to find than regular mild paprika, but take it from Crystal—it’s worth the effort. This dish benefits from the added rich, smoky flavor.

　　From The Casserole Queens Cookbook by Crystal Cook & Sandy Pollock. Copyright © 2011 by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock; Food photographs copyright © 2011 by Ben Fink. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers.Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock, the Casserole Queens, have been delivering casseroles in Austin, Texas, since 2006; they also teach cooking classes at Whole Foods stores in the area. They have been featured on Food Network's Throwdown! with Bobby Flay and Bobby Flay Radio on Sirius XM, as well as on television news and radio talk shows.