upon first glance, i was intrigued by the idea of bacon and asparagus comingling on a sandwich. afterthought: what was i thinking? of course bacon and aspargus go together! especially if butter is involved in the recipe... twice! as a former bacon-non-believer (i blame it on sub-par supermarket varieties) i stick with high-end product, and prefer cherrywood smoked bacon for this recipe. incredible.
Asparagus and Bacon on Toast
Credit: James Baigrie
This sandwich was invented by Marion Zuchowski, the mother of a longtime asparagus farmer in western Massachusetts.
1 lb. fresh asparagus
1–2 tbsp. butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 pieces toast, buttered
4 slices cooked bacon
1. Prepare asparagus by holding bottom half of each spear with both hands and gently bending it until it snaps where it naturally breaks, separating tough fibrous end from tender part (see Prepping Asparagus). Discard ends. Cut asparagus into 2" pieces. Steam in steamer basket set over a pot of simmering water over high heat until very soft, 15–20 minutes.
2. Transfer to a bowl, toss with butter, and season to taste with salt and pepper. To make sandwiches, divide spears evenly among 4 pieces of the toast, arrange 1 slice of bacon on top of each, and cover each with another piece of toast.
