Prepare the Spaetzle, drain and keep warm.
For directions to make Spaetzle go here
Melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour, then slowly add the milk and cream until smooth and thickened. Stir in the mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper, then simmer gently until creamy.
Briefly cook the asparagus in boiling salted water until just barely tender and bright green,
then transfer immediately to cold water to stop the cooking.
Drain well before adding to the casserole.
This keeps the asparagus a nice green color, and preserves the tender crisp texture.
Cook the onions slowly in butter until soft, golden, and lightly caramelized. This brings out their natural sweetness and adds rich flavor to the casserole.
Blend the cheese sauce, warm Spaetzle, aspaagus and onions together in a mixing bowl.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes,
or until the casserole is hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted and lightly golden on top.
If you want a little more color, you can broil it briefly at the end.
Now for the crispy onions. Slice the onions very thin — I like using a mandoline for this.
You can also use a knife: cut the onion in half, place the cut side down, and slice thinly.
For a quicker version, you can even use store-bought crispy onions from a can.
Toss the onions with just a little flour enough to coat.
Shallow fry the onions in a small amount of oil till crispy.
Lift them out gently with a slotted spoon, and drain on a paper towel.
You can also do these in the air fryer. Put a few in the basket and spray with spray-oil
and cook on 400 degrees for a few minutes. checking intermitently.
You can also just make more caramelized onions to top.
If you like it a little more brown on top, turn it on broil,
and place it on the top rack for a few minutes.
Scoop out a portion of the casserolle on a plate and top with onions. |
