Asparagus in a Gorgonzola Sauce

As a kid, I would eat all of my veggies and salad, and would hide pieces of meat under the edges of my plate thinking it would look like I ate them. What kid would rather eat broccoli and green beans over meatballs and chicken? Me! On top of that, I married a guy who loves veggies. He eats all of them and even loves Brussels sprouts. Lucky me!!

So needless to say veggies are a big part of all of our meals and I'm always looking for new ways to prepare them.

Last year I starred a recipe for Asparagus in Gorgonzola Sauce that I saw on the blog Closet Cooking. Cheese and veggies? Yes, please. I made it last week along with grilled chicken and roasted potatoes, but the asparagus was definitely the star of the meal.

The sauce starts out by sauteing leeks until soft. Even more veggies!

Ingredients (I increased the amounts of some of the ingredients; my version is below)

• 1 pound of asparagus, woody ends snapped off
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, cleaned, halved lengthwise, and sliced
• 2 sage leaves, minced
• 1/2 c heavy cream
• 2 oz gorgonzola, crumbled
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
• 3 tbsp breadcrumbs

Directions

• Bring a pan of water to a boil. Add asparagus, remove after 2 minutes and run under cold water. Place asparagus in a baking dish in a single layer.
• Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat.
• Add leeks and cook until softened, about 10 minutes, adding the sage halfway through.
• Add the cream and gorgonzola; bring to a simmer and cook until it begins to thicken, about 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Season with just a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Pour the cream over the asparagus.
• Top with breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
• Place under the broiler until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.

This sauce was SO delicious. Gorgonzola is a cheese I just tried a few years ago and I love how wonderfully creamy and rich it is. Doesn't this look delicious?

The crumb and cheese topping was a great way to add some crunchy texture and extra flavor. This sauce would be delicious on chicken or potatoes, too.