Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Open Faced Cauliflower and Asparagus Sandwich

Open Faced Cauliflower and Asparagus Sandwich

I remember when Diana spoke so well of this sandwich I knew it was something I had to try soon. Luckily for me, I had some cauliflower left over from the farro salad so it was the perfect amount to try this lovely sandwich. I already had some wheat bread on hand so it was just a matter of picking up the asparagus at the farmers market and I got some aged Vermont cheddar from TJs. Since I ended up using a lot of the cheddar in my stovetop mac and cheese for Trevor, I didn't feel so guilty about getting all these separate ingredients to make one sandwich. Since I had so enjoyed the flavor of the roasted cauliflower, I decided to stick with it in this sandwich instead of steaming it separately from the shallots. This definitely takes some time and dishes to put together, but I must say, it's worth it. Instead of frying an egg, I decided to try poaching for my first time ever. Thanks to this helpful tutorial on Cookthink, I managed to get one egg that looked (and tasted) pretty good. I definitely need to perfect my poaching technique, but I think I did pretty good for my first time. This was definitely a fun sandwich to make and especially to eat. I think if you try it, you can play with the flavors a bit to make it however you choose!


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Open Faced Cauliflower and Asparagus Sandwich
(Lightly Adapted from Diana Takes a Bite)

1 slice bread of choice (preferably a thicker slice that can stand up to the ingredients)
6 spears of asparagus
Florets from 1/2 head of cauliflower
2 shallots, peeled and cut in half
Salt, pepper
Olive oil
1/4 cup chicken broth
White cheddar cheese
1 egg
Bread crumbs, lightly toasted

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Arrange the cauliflower, shallots, and asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil. You may want to keep the asparagus on one side of the baking sheet and the cauliflower and shallots on the other. Roast for 15-20 minutes until the cauliflower and asparagus are tender.

To make the cauliflower puree, add the roasted cauliflower and shallots to a medium pan. Add the chicken broth and season lightly with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes and then transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.

Lightly toast the bread. Top with a generous serving of the cauliflower puree and then the roasted asparagus. Top the asparagus with shredded cheese. Place the sandwich on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted. While the cheese is melting, poach or fry (or even scramble) an egg. Top the baked sandwich with the egg and a sprinkle of breadcrumbs and serve immediately.

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13 comments:

Erica said...

What a fun/unique sammy! I love the egg on top for some protein. Hope you have a happy st pattys day

Diana said...

Awww this totally made my day! :) I'm so glad you tried and liked the recipe! I was just thinking about it the other day -- I'm sort of craving it!

Unknown said...

this looks so intriguing!! must try :) whaddya know, i have all the ingredients in my fridge i think...

Joie de vivre said...

This sandwich rocks my socks!

Reeni said...

How creative and interesting. It looks really good, especially with the egg on top!

Heather said...

yum!! i love the idea of veggies and egg on a sandwich. that asparagus looks so delicious. i just love asparagus. mmm.

happy st. pats :)

Sharon said...

Such a fun and different sandwich! You know, I've never had cauliflower that wasn't in a soup. I'd love to try this on some bread.

Susan @ SGCC said...

Oh, boy! I am totally feeling this sandwich! It looks like the perfect light bite for those warm weather nights. Beautiful!

Hayley said...

This sandwich sounds awesome, and so different. Thanks for sharing!

Andrea said...

That is my kind of sandwich, Esi! I love your idea of roasting instead of steaming, when is that not better? Almost always. And your poached egg looks perfect to me!

Esi said...

Thanks everyone! St. Pattys days was good..maybe a little too good.

I hope you all try this soon. It's so delicious and I think a unique combination.

Diana, thanks for the recipe!

Susan, it's perfect for when you want something delicious, but still healthy.

Andrea, think I still have to work on my egg poaching, but I am getting the hang of it!

test it comm said...

That is one nice looking sandwich!

Mona said...

This sandwich is soo good, with or without the egg (but especially with the egg). The cauliflower puree is one of the more delicious things I have eaten recently. thanks for the recipe!