Today’s recipe is a little starter, canapés or aperitif nibble. Something to get the party started, however you could also make them “larger” or serve a couple on a plate as a more formal entree style dish. If you use good gluten free bread it’s a great option. You could also combine the pesto with a soft vegan cheese alternative if you need to cover that base. In my hemisphere this is perfect for late spring and summer when our local Australian asparagus is in full season. It’s delicious and a wonderful way to support the idea of sustainable seasonal eating, enjoying your local produce when nature intended, no matter where you live.

Before we get to the recipe let's have a quick chat about planning your menu and food for parties, dinners, lunches or any other festive foodie celebration. The most important thing is to plan carefully. Make sure that when you pick the elements of your menu, you consider how and when they are all going to be prepared and cooked. Choosing a nibble, starter, main, sides and dessert that all need to be in the oven at the same time is fraught with danger so you need to think carefully not just about WHAT you want to serve but also, HOW that is going to work together. Try to pick dishes that allow you to do at least some of the preparation (and even cooking!) in the days before and simply assemble before serving. I promise it will make your life so much easier. I am here to tell you that there isn't a successful restaurant ANYWHERE that is whipping up your order from scratch when they receive the little docket. Preparation beforehand and planning are the most important ingredient to a successful get together. Then just add your Combi Steam and lots of love and you'll be set!

You can certainly prepare all aspects of this recipe in advance and assemble them just before serving so check the tips below for the information. Let's get our entree sorted!

(serves 10 as a starter)

Ingredients
1 good quality breadstick* (I like sour dough!)
olive oil for brushing
1 large clove garlic (halved)
2 bunches medium thick fresh asparagus
1 cup fresh full fat ricotta
1 lemon zested (then kept for squeezing the juice)
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
s&p
½ cup good quality basil pesto (or make your own if you prefer!)
fresh basil leaves to garnish if desired

Method:

1. Select Hot Air+Steaming/Combination Steam. Set the temperature to 230°C or this highest available. (For variable Steam set 10% or low.) Allow to pre-heat and get nice and hot.

2. Cut the breadstick, on an angle, in slices around 1 cm thick. Lay the slices onto a baking tray or rack. Brush the top of each slice with a little olive oil. Rub each one, on top, with the open face of the garlic. Season with a little salt and pepper.

3. Remove the "woody" stem from the asparagus by chopping a few cm's off the bottom (or you can just hold it near the bottom and "snap" them). Cut the asparagus into lengths of about 6cm (I usually cut mine in half!)

4. Line a second baking tray with baking paper. Lay the asparagus pieces on the tray. Drizzle or brush with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. Once the oven is hot, working quickly, place the bread and the asparagus in and close the door. Cook for around 8 minutes or until bread is golden brown and asparagus is just tender. Remove and set aside.

6. Meanwhile combine the ricotta with the lemon zest, olive oil, some salt and pepper and around 1 tbs of the pesto.

7. Place the toasts onto a platter or individual serving plates. Top with around 2 tbs of the ricotta mixture. Lay a few pieces of asparagus on top. Drizzle with a little extra pesto and squeeze over the lemon juice to serve.

Note: In some models you may need to use your grill also for this recipe to get the desired browning and crispness.

Tips:
*Use a nice dense bread - not a white fluffy variety! Good quality bread will make such a difference to the flavour! Slicing it on an angle gives you a larger "face" on the bread making it the perfect size for an entree or starter.
*Try some whole or halved cherry tomatoes along with or instead of the asparagus if you like.
*You can cook the bread and asparagus up to 2 days beforehand. Store the "toasts" in an airtight container, once completely cooled, at room temperature. Store the asparagus n separate airtight container, once completely cooled, in the fridge. Remove from the fridge an hour before serving.
*To serve this dish as a canapé, slice the bread into "rounds" around 1cm thick rather than on the angle. They will then be perfect as a small party nibble that can be served on platters.

So there you have it. A simple but delicious little celebration recipe that can be made in advance ready to assemble before serving. This also means your Combi-Steam is free for other things!

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In the meantime, happy Combi Steaming!

Yours in the kitchen,

The CSQ. x