Eat Green this St. Patrick’s Day
I love the month of March because it is a sign of fresh things to come. The weather is beginning to warm up and green is starting to poke out from under the snowy landscape.
And of course that’s not the only green we’re seeing; St. Patrick’s Day will bring a whole new slew of green things. And there’s no better way to incorporate the festive colour into your St. Patty’s day than with a delicious asparagus and Canadian Brie-based appetizer.
Impress your guests with these Asparagus and Brie Wonton Tartlets – trust me, they taste as good as they look. The melted Canadian Brie is so soft and delicious and a mouthwatering companion to the crumbly tartlets. And not only do the asparagus spears provide a rich and delicious flavour – they’re a burst of festive green as well.
If you’re looking to pair them with an occasion-appropriate beverage, try swapping out the usual green beer for a light Riesling or Merlot. Open Riesling Gewurtztraminer is a refreshing white wine with pretty floral and zesty notes. It’s a fantastic value wine that your guests will love.
And if you want to try a lush red wine instead, Quails’ Gate Estate Winery Merlot is always a crowd-pleaser. It’s a robust and smooth red with notes of dark fruit, chocolate, and dusty spice and sugarplum on the finish.
Whatever you serve this March, I hope you have a great time celebrating. I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely looking forward to the warm weather ahead.
Asparagus and Brie Wonton Tartlets
Ingredients
24 wonton wrappers, thawed*
2½ tbsp (40 ml) butter, divided
24 asparagus spears, cut into 1˝ (2.5 cm) lengths
1 French shallot, chopped
¼ cup (60 ml) white wine or low-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp (15 ml) sherry vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 oz (120 g) Canadian Brie, sliced
Preparation
• Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
• Brush wonton wrappers with 1½ tbsp. (25 ml) melted butter and press 2 
wrappers into each mould of a muffin pan.
• In a saucepan, melt remaining butter on medium heat and cook asparagus for 2 minutes. Reserve in a bowl.
• In the same saucepan, cook shallot for 2 minutes. Deglaze with white wine and reduce by half. Add vinegar and reduce once again by half. Pour over asparagus and season with salt and pepper.
• Divide asparagus and Brie among muffin moulds lined with wonton wrappers.
• Bake on bottom oven rack for 15 minutes or until wonton wrappers are golden brown.
*Thaw the wonton wrappers overnight in the refrigerator.
Cheese alternatives: Canadian Camembert, Havarti, Gouda
Recipe developed by: Allyouneedischeese.ca
