Asparagus Timbales Recipes

ASPARAGUS PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add the asparagus and cook until fully tender but not mushy, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well, reserving some of the cooking liquid, and let the asparagus cool slightly.
• Transfer the asparagus to a food processor and add the garlic, pine nuts, 2 tablespoons of the oil, Parmesan, a pinch of salt and a couple of tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Process the mixture, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container if necessary, and gradually add the remaining oil and a bit more of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten if necessary. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste, pulse one last time, and serve over pasta, fish or chicken (or cover and refrigerate for up to a day).

SAUTEED ASPARAGUS WITH GARLIC AND THYME

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add garlic and thyme sprigs. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add asparagus; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing to coat in oil, 1 minute.
• Arrange asparagus in a single layer in skillet, add 1/4 cup water, and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender and most of water has evaporated, 2 minutes.

ASPARAGUS TIMBALE

Steps:

• Cut asparagus into 1 inch pieces. In a small frying pan, melt the butter and saute the scallion and asparagus for a few minutes until both are fairly soft. Place the mixture in the bottom of a well-oiled 1 quart casserole.
• In a bowl, beat the cheese, milk, salt and tarragon into the egg. Pour this mixture over the asparagus mixture in the casserole.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let cool for 10 minutes, then serve.

TIMBALE OF GRAINS WITH WILD MUSHROOMS, ASPARAGUS AND A SAUCE OF GOAT'S FETA

Steps:

• Separately rinse the grains, then cook barley, wheat berries and rices, each in a separate pot, starting in clean, cold water with aromatic herbs in each. Just prior to each grain becoming tender, season with salt and pepper.
• When just fully cooked pour any excess water from each pot and spread grains out on a shallow baking pan and cool quickly.
• Season and steep couscous in an equal volume of cold water or even better a combination of orange juice and water. Allow to rehydrate then rub grains between your hands to fluff them.
• Heat butter in large saute pan (preferably nonstick), and saute vegetables and garlic until tender.
• Season, add thyme, nuts and all the prepared grains and saute them together.
• Adjust seasoning.
• Meanwhile reduce vegetable stock and wine by 2/3. Add cream and bring to boil, reduce slightly. Add cheese and melt to thicken. Season and add thyme.
• Season (you may not need any salt depending on the feta you are using, but freshly cracked pepper in the sauce is a must).
• Shape the hot grains in a timbale mold. Pour the sauce around. Accompany with a saute of asparagus spears (start with approximately 1 pound, trimmed and blanched) and mixed wild mushrooms (again, start with a scant pound, trimmed and cut into different shapes).
• Garnish with herb sprigs.

ASPARAGUS TIMBALE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Trim off tough ends of asparagus. Drop asparagus into a pot of rapidly boiling salted water and cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the spears. Remove from water and cut tips from the asparagus and set aside. Place the rest of the spears into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. In a saute pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter and saute the onion over medium heat until soft, about 5-8 minutes. Place onion in a mixing bowl. Into the same bowl, add the eggs and beat well. Slowly whisk in the hot milk. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter, salt, nutmeg and cheese. Mix in the asparagus puree and the reserved tips Fold in the bread crumbs. Butter six 8-ounce ramekins and divide the mixture among them. Or butter a 6 cup souffle mold and pour in the entire mixture. Place the ramekins or souffle mold in a baking pan and pour in boiling water until it reaches about two-thirds of the way up the dishes. Bake for about 25-30 minutes for the smaller ramekins or 35-50 minutes for the larger soufflé mold. when set, remove from water and let molds sit for 5 minutes before turning out. Serve with fresh tomato sauce with tarragon.

WILD MUSHROOM TIMBALES WITH BACON AND ARUGULA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Stir the salt, pepper, lemon zest, parsley, thyme and Parmesan into the mushrooms. In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, milk and eggs. Stir in the mushroom mixture. Spray 8 6-ounce ramekins with vegetable oil. Fill each with the custard and set in a large roasting pan.
• Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until set, about 55 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels, crumble and set aside. Pour the fat from the skillet. Add the vinegar and demi-glace and simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes, scraping up any bacon bits stuck to the pan.
• Run the tip of a small knife around the edge of the ramekins to loosen the custards. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the sauce onto the center of 8 plates. Mound 1 cup of arugula in the center of each plate. Unmold the timbales onto the center of the arugula. Scatter the bacon around the timbales and serve at once.

CHILLED ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH TIMBALE OF CAVIAR, CRAB AND AVOCADO

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus and stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until asparagus is tender, about 8 minutes. Add spinach, cover and simmer until wilted, about 4 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Transfer soup to large bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool, then cover and chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
• Mix crabmeat, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and shallot in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix avocado and remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice in another small bowl; mash coarsely. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place tomato can or biscuit cutter in center of 1 soup bowl. Spoon in 1 tablespoon avocado mixture; smooth top. Spoon in 1 tablespoon crab mixture; press lightly to compact. Spoon in 1 tablespoon avocado mixture. Top with 1 teaspoon caviar. Carefully lift off can. Repeat in remaining soup bowls with remaining timbale ingredients. Ladle soup around each timbale. Serve immediately.