Spring Asparagus Tart Recipes

SPRING ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add asparagus; cook, covered, until crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes. Drain; place in a large bowl. Add tomatoes; cover and keep warm. , Place vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, onion, salt and paprika in a blender; cover and process until smooth. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream. Toss with asparagus mixture. Top with almonds and, if desired, cheese.

CHEF JOHN'S ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
• Lay puff pastry out on the prepared baking sheet. Fold edges up to create a 1/2-inch wide border. Prick inside base of dough completely with a fork.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and puffed, about 10 minutes. Press puffed center down with the back of a fork to deflate.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook uncovered until bright green, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander and immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Drain.
• Stir mustard, creme fraiche, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl; spread into the bottom of the cooled tart shell. Lay asparagus spears, trimming as necessary to fit the tart shell, in the center of the tart on top of the mustard spread. Brush melted butter over the asparagus and crust and sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top.
• Bake in the oven until pastry is browned and asparagus is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

SPRING ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the puff pastry to a 9- by 12-inch even rectangle. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Combine the mascarpone, 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt, the flour, egg and lemon zest, and then fold in the chives and tarragon. Spread over the puff pastry, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Make small cuts around the border about 1 inch apart with the tip of a paring knife.
• Toss the asparagus with the olive oil in a bowl. Lay half of the asparagus in a neat row across the surface of the tart so the tips meet the edge. Do the same in the opposite direction with the remaining asparagus. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Bake until the border of the tart is deep golden and puffed and the top is lightly spotted golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes and serve.
• Serve with lightly dressed greens.

ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Open crust on work surface. Press out any cracks. Rub with flour. Arrange dough, flour side down, in 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough into pan.
• Fold excess dough border over to form double-thick sides. Pierce dough all over with fork. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
• Cook asparagus in pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain well. Place on paper towels. Mix half and half, eggs, cheese, tarragon and salt in bowl. Season with pepper. Arrange asparagus in spoke-of-wheel fashion in crust, tips toward edge and ends meeting in center. Pour custard over. Bake until tart puffs and top browns, about 35 minutes. Cool slightly.

ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out pastry, line tart pan with the pastry and cover the pastry with foil. Weigh down with dry beans or pastry weights. Place in the oven and bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the pastry looks dry. Remove foil and weights and continue baking until the pastry is golden, about 15 minutes longer. Remove pastry from the oven and increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.
• Melt butter in a skillet, add the onions and saute slowly until they are transluscent and tender. Snap the ends off the asparagus and peel them about half way up from the bottom. Cut the asparagus into half-inch-thick slices on a sharp slant. You should have about one cup of cut asparagus. Add to the skillet with the onions, toss in the butter and add the chives. Season with salt and pepper.
• Scatter the asparagus mixture in the baked pastry shell. Whisk the eggs and half and half together and pour into the shell. Sprinkle with the cheese. Place in the oven and bake until set and golden brown, about 40 minutes.