An asparagus tart that's simple to make but impressive in appearance. Perfect for spring brunches and light suppers.
A great horned owl has taken up a perch on the next block.
He’s big: two feet tall and wings aspan, four feet wide. And loud: since the mating season commenced in February, neighbors have asked, Did you hear The Owl last night? He woke me out of a dead sleep!
Two years ago, a pair of owls took up nest in a tree hollow a block the other direction. Soon there were little owls, owlets they’re called, all fluff and famish. Good neighbors, these owls, if a tad noisy. Family folk too, it’s nice to have little ones around. Welcome to the neighborhood!
Somehow this tart is light and rich at the same time. Still, it’s not hearty like a thick and eggy quiche so serve it with fruit salad or greens dressed with a year-round favorite, Orange & Cumin Vinaigrette.
ORANGE & CUMIN VINAIGRETTE is a simple, bright dressing that pairs beautifully with the creamy, woodsy custard tart. Just whisk the juices of an orange and a lemon with 2 teaspoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin and a tablespoon of good olive oil. Stir in a clove of minced garlic and some chopped green onion. Just delicious!
Fresh tarragon is a lovely complement to both the asparagus and custard, try not to skip it. When arranging the cooked asparagus, alternate slightly longer spears with slightly shorter ones. This tart makes ahead and travels beautifully.
ASPARAGUS CUSTARD TART
Time to table: 60 minutes
Serves 8
- 1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (see ALANNA’s TIPS)
- Flour
- 1 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed
-
CUSTARD
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup half & half
- 1/2 cup good cheese, grated (something flavorful such as Gruyère or Parmesan)
- 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, minced (see TIPS)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 450F. Bring crust to room temperature. Open onto a floured work surface, turn to lightly coat with flour, then turn again. With a rolling pin, working from the center out, gently and evenly thin the crust. Transfer to a lightly greased quiche pan. Double over the edge to form the sides, then pinch the top edge to form an attractive crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool.
Reduce oven to 350F.
Steam asparagus til cooked. Drain on paper towels to absorb moisture. Trim the spears to fit (see TIPS), spoke fashion with tips pointing out, atop the pastry.
Whisk custard ingredients and gently pour over asparagus. Bake for 20 minutes or until center jiggles slightly but is fully cooked. Serve warm or at room temperature. Also good cold!
More Recipe Ideas for Asparagus
More Brunch Recipes
© Copyright 2006 Kitchen Parade
Page Permalink
|
E-Mail This Recipe Join the Conversation!
To read comments from other readers, please scroll down.To leave your own comment, please scroll down to 'Post a Comment'.
5/05/2006
5/05/2006
I've only experimented with fat-free half n half (which I love) once and it was such a disaster (see Survivor Soup) that I can't recommend it. But that said, I would try it, though not with perfect asparagus or company coming for brunch!
re: 1/8 a pie, trust me, the tart's good enough you might want to eat the whole thing! But with a salad, 1/8 a piece is very satisfying, creamy and warm and flavorful. I started WW almost four years ago and learned, no matter what, that portion size truly matters.
Good luck! If you try the fat-free version, report back on how it works out for you!
5/06/2006
5/07/2006
5/07/2006
5/10/2006
5/11/2006
4/26/2007
Post a Comment
Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. But I also love hearing your reactions, your curiosity, even your concerns! When you've made a recipe, I especially love to know how it turned out, what variations you made, what you'll do differently the next time. ~ Alanna