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1
Preheat the oven to 350F.
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2
Coat a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
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3
Hold an asparagus spear with both hands, about 2 inches from the ends.
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4
Gently bend the asparagus until it snaps.
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5
It will break at the point where the stem is too tough to be enjoyable; discard the stem.
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6
Repeat for all your asparagus.
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7
Cook the asparagus in boiling water until crisp tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
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8
Drain and set aside.
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9
Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saute pan set over medium-high heat.
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10
Add the shallots and garlic, and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
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11
Add the artichoke hearts and mushrooms, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
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12
Season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
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13
Set aside.
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14
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small bowl.
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15
Add the cracker crumbs and stir well.
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16
Put three-quarters of the cracker crumbs into the prepared casserole dish.
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17
Spoon the artichoke mixture on top of the crumbs and top with the asparagus.
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18
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan set over medium heat.
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19
Add the flour and cook until it turns light brown and forms a paste.
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20
Slowly stir in the cream, cayenne, paprika, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
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21
Cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.
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22
Pour the sauce over the vegetables, and sprinkle with the cheese and the remaining cracker crumbs.
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23
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted.
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24
Vegetarian friendly!
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25
Paprika is made from ground dried bell peppers or chiles.
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26
It can range from sweet to spicy, depending on the kind of pepper used.
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27
Smoked paprika is generally harder to find than regular mild paprika, but take it from Crystalits worth the effort.
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28
This dish benefits from the added rich, smoky flavor.
