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1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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2
Add the asparagus to a large pot of boiling water, keeping the bundles together with rubber bands or string.
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3
Cook for a couple of minutes; the asparagus should be bright green and still crunchy.
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4
List the bundles out of the water and slice off the tough ends of the asparagus.
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5
Drop the trimmed ends back in the boiling water and lower to a simmer.
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6
Run the asparagus tops under cold water to stop the cooking.
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7
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.
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8
Whisk in the flour to make a roux.
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9
Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and 1 cup of the asparagus cooking liquid.
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10
Add the salt and continue cooking until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
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11
Add the grated Cheddar and cook, stirring, until melted, about 1 minute.
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12
Arrange the asparagus in the bottom of a 9-by-12-by-2-inch baking dish, alternating the stem ends so each serving includes both heads and stems.
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13
Thinly slice the hard-boiled eggs and arrange them over the asparagus.
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14
Pour the cheese sauce over the eggs and asparagus and sprinkle with the cracker crumbs.
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15
Bake until lightly browned and bubbles appear around the edges, about 20 minutes.
