Recipe Archive #525

Thursday August 25, 2011

Chicken, Asparagus, and Roquefort Divan

• 1 pound asparagus spears, tough ends removed
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 pound roquefort or danish blue cheese, crumbled
• 4 slices firm-textured Delicious Orchards English Muffin
• Bread, lightly toasted
• 2 cups bite-sized pieces roasted chicken
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter an 8-inch square baking dish. In a large frying pan with a lid, combine the asparagus with lightly salted water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, and cook until the asparagus is barely crisp-tender, about 3 minutes ( the asparagus will cook further in the oven). Drain, rinse under cold running water, and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.

Pour the milk into a saucepan and heat over medium heat until small bubbles appear along the edges of the pan. Do not boil. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the hot milk, raise the heat to medium, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the blue cheese and whisk until melted. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the bread slices, overlapping as needed, in the prepared baking dish. Spread the chicken over the bread and top with the asparagus. Pour the blue cheese sauce over the asparagus and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Cut the remaining 1 tablespoon butter into small pieces and dot the top.

Bake until the sauce is bubbling and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

 

Makes 4 servings