Five-Minute French Apéro Bites

Asparagus & Prosciutto Wraps with Homemade Boursin.

Ten asparagus spears, two slices of prosciutto, and a spread you’ll want to put on everything after this. No stove required for the cheese part.

Boursin convinced an entire generation of Americans that it’s some kind of ancient French invention. It isn’t, really. It’s a brand, born in Normandy in the 1950s. Very good, but a brand.

French kitchens were making their own herbed cheese long before that little box existed, and most of us still do. It takes five minutes, needs no cooking, and works with whatever soft herbs are sitting in your fridge.

Wrap it around asparagus with a slice of prosciutto and you have the easiest thing I make when people are still taking their coats off.

The Recipe

Serves 2. About 15 minutes, start to finish.

You’ll Need

A bowl and a fork or a whisk. A paring knife, peeler, small saucepan, and a pan for the wraps.

For the Homemade Boursin

• ¼ package cream cheese, softened
• ½ Tbsp chopped sage
• ½ Tbsp chopped thyme
• ½ Tbsp chopped parsley
• ¼ cup roasted garlic
• 2 Tbsp heavy cream
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Wraps

• 10 asparagus spears, washed
• 2 slices prosciutto
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar, reduced

What to Drink With It

Asparagus is famously difficult to pair with wine, so keep it simple and cold.

• Muscadet: Bone dry, a little saline. My go-to with anything asparagus.
• Sancerre: If you want something with more personality.
• Sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon: Genuinely fine. Nobody will judge you.

The French Way of Doing It

This isn’t a recipe that requires skill. It requires timing.

Make the Boursin first, always. It needs those few minutes for the flavors to settle while you deal with the asparagus.