Baked Camembert with asparagus dippers

Servings:

One of the most common questions I’m asked about asparagus is how not to overcook it. My answer here, is to let mother nature guide you. Asparagus really only needs 1-2 minutes in direct wet heat (blanching), as it can actually be eaten raw, so it’s always best to err on the side of under than over, then let the residual heat finish the job. For thinner spears, 1 minutes in salted boiling water is plenty. For thicker, 2 minutes works. Use your eyes to tell you when they’ve had enough – they’ll change colour right away, then intensify to a deep green, and that’s when they’re done. To stop the cooking process, whack the asparagus into a bowl of iced water, or into a colander and under the cold tap for a minute or so to cool it down and stop it overcooking.

Any camembert will work here – no need to splash out on a bougie one – the heat of the oven and the extra bits mean that it’ll taste like your best fondue no matter what you do. If your cheese doesn’t come in a wooden box, use a ramekin or small baking dish that fits the cheese snugly, or make an impromptu vessel using a layer of baking paper around the cheese, then two layers of foil squashed up around it to hold it in place (just remember that the cheese is HOT when you grab it out of the oven, so use oven gloves judiciously.

Ingredients

▢ 180-200 g Camembert in wooden box
▢ 2-3 garlic cloves peeled and halved
▢ 4 sprigs thyme
▢ Pinch flaked salt
▢ Freshly ground black pepper
▢ Extra-virgin olive oil to serve
▢ Blanched asparagus (see intro) and crusty bread to serve

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
Unbox and unwrap the cheese. Place a square of baking paper slightly larger than the wooden box into the base of the box then return the cheese (this will ensure your cheese has a nice little bed to bake in!). If you couldn’t get one in a wooden box, then pop in a round oven proof dish lined with baking paper. Leave on the bench to come to room temperature.
Score the top of the cheese into a diamond pattern then stud with thyme sprigs, garlic cloves and a small drizzle of oil. Pop on a baking tray then into the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes or until golden on top and gooey.
Drizzle a little more olive oil over the top, sprinkle with flaked salt and a crack of freshly ground black pepper. Serve in the dish, at the table with blanched asparagus and bits of crusty bread to dip.