Asparagus with Prosciutto & Chevre

Total time: 20 minutes
    Quickly blanched, the asparagus spears are then wrapped in Prosciutto with a dollop of goat cheese at the base. 

 Ingredients:

• 12 asparagus spears- thickness of a pen is best; 4" (10cm) tips only
• 2oz (60gr) soft chevre (goat cheese)
• 1 tsp water
• 1 tbs snipped fresh basil   substitute 1 tsp dried
• 1 tbs snipped fresh chives   substitute 1 tsp dried
• 3 thin slices of dry-cured ham, Prosciutto, Serrano, Bayonne
• olives for garnish  optional

 Instructions:

• Snap off bottom ends of asparagus. 
• If using white asparagus peel half way to tip.
• Cut off 4 inch (10cm) tips and refrigerate rest of the stalks for another use.
• Bring a medium pan of water to boil and blanch the asparagus tips for 2 minutes if slender, 3 minutes if thick. 
• Drain and rinse well with cold water.
• Snip/chop basil leaves (hint: I hold the leaves together and snip with a scissors). 
• Put chevre in small bowl, add 1 tsp water and the basil leaves.  Stir to mix. 
• Cut the ham in half the short way - you should have a slice that is about 2" X 3" (5cm X 7.5cm) - not important but you get the idea. 
• Put a heaping teaspoonful of chevre mix on ham slice, add 2 asparagus spears so that half is sticking above the ham, and roll ham around bottom of asparagus and chevre so you have a little bundle with the asparagus tops sticking out the top.
• Repeat with remaining ingredients.  Put 3 bundles on a plate, garnish with olives and serve. 
• Can be made a couple of hours ahead and refrigerated.