1pound fresh asparagus, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1poundcream cheese, softened
1tablespoondried tarragon
Salt
Black pepper
1/2cupfinely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2cupunsalted butter
8slicessandwich bread
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Boil or steam the chopped asparagus for 3 minutes and then submerge in cold water. Mix the cooked asparagus with the softened cream cheese and tarragon, then add salt and pepper to taste.
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Take each slice of bread and dip it into the melted butter and then sprinkle Parmesan cheese on one side of each piece.
Spread about 1/2 cup of the cream-cheese/asparagus filling on a slice of bread on the non-coated side, and top with another slice, leaving the Parmesan-coated sides on the outside.
Place assembled sandwiches on a greased sheet and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, turning over once so both sides are browned.
Notes
I use tarragon because I have that lovely herb growing in my kitchen and I enjoy it freshly snipped, but the sandwich is also good with lemon thyme, chives, rosemary or whatever other herbs you fancy with your asparagus. But please be aware—the real stars of this sandwich are the crisp, cooked asparagus and Parmesan-coated bread—everything else is secondary.