Banderillas

Difficulty:

Average

Ingredients:

• 4 Asparagus Spears [each cut into 6 (1-inch) pieces]
• ½ cup Water
• 24 frilled Toothpicks or cocktail-size Skewers
• 2 tiny Shrimp (de-veined, peeled, tails removed & cooked)
• 24 small pieces (1x1/2 inch each) smoked Ham (fully cooked)
• 24 Green Spanish Olives (pitted)
• 4 tbsp Olive/Vegetable Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic (sliced)
• ¼ cup fresh Parsley (finely chopped)
• ¼ cup Dill Pickle (finely chopped)

Cooking Instructions:

• Put asparagus in a one-quart microwave bowl. Add water. Cover with a plastic wrap and fold back one edge by 1/4 inch, to vent steam.
• Heat in the oven for about 2 minutes on high temperature or until the asparagus is just folk-tender.
• Drain and rinse immediately with cold water. Drain again.
• Skewer one piece each of ham, asparagus, shrimp and Spanish olive on each toothpick.
• Put 1 tbsp of oil and garlic in a microwave bowl and heat in the oven on High, for 30-60 seconds.
• Blend parsley, cooked garlic (in oil), pickle and remaining oil in a food processor to make a smooth mixture.
• Serve banderillas with the parsley mix.