• Adjust rack to top position (top and middle positions for 4 servings) and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring 3 TBSP butter (6 TBSP for 4 servings) to room temperature. Wash and dry produce. • Slice baguette crosswise into 8 rounds (16 rounds for 4). Thinly slice chives. • Spread sliced baguette out on a baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil. Toast on top rack until golden brown, 5-10 minutes. (For 4, if necessary, divide rounds between 2 baking sheets; toast on top and middle racks.) • Place ricotta in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Spread ricotta onto toasted baguette; drizzle with hot honey. Sprinkle with walnuts and half the chives. • Serve with your favorite beverage for snacking while you prepare the rest of the meal. TIP: Prefer to serve the crostini with the main course? Toast now and assemble right before serving!

• Dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces; place in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes. • Drain and return potatoes to pot. Keep covered off heat until ready to mash.

• Meanwhile, using the tip of a spoon, remove and discard black gills from undersides of mushrooms. Place peppercorns in a zip-close bag and crush with a heavy-bottomed pan or rolling pin. Trim and discard woody bottom ends from asparagus. • Rub mushrooms all over with a drizzle of oil. Season all over with salt and some of the crushed peppercorns. TIP: It’s OK if not all the peppercorns stick; you can add them to the pan sauce in the next step.

• Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, flipping occasionally, until tender, 7-12 minutes. TIP: Lower heat to medium if mushrooms begin to brown too quickly. • Stir in stock concentrate and 2 TBSP water (3 TBSP for 4 servings). (TIP: Add a pinch of peppercorns now if they didn’t stick in step 3.) Simmer, flipping mushrooms occasionally, until sauce has thickened and mushrooms are coated, 1-2 minutes more. • Turn off heat; transfer everything to a shallow dish. Wipe out pan.

• Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for mushrooms over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned and tender, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. • Return pan to medium-high heat and add almonds; cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. • Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a second small bowl.

• Mash potatoes with a potato masher or fork until smooth. (TIP: If potatoes have cooled, mash over medium-low heat.) Stir in sour cream, crème fraîche, 1 TBSP softened butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings; you’ll use the rest in the next step), and as much truffle zest as you like until combined. (TIP: Start with a pinch of truffle zest, then taste and add more from there if desired.) Season generously with salt and pepper.

• In a third small microwave-safe bowl, combine remaining 2 TBSP softened butter (4 TBSP for 4 servings), 1 tsp remaining chives (2 tsp for 4), salt, and pepper. TIP: If butter is still cold, microwave for 5-10 seconds. • Thinly slice mushrooms; divide between plates along with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Sprinkle asparagus with almonds. Top mushrooms with chive butter. Garnish with remaining chives and serve. • Serve cheesecakes for dessert.