Asparagus And Scallion Tart Food

ASPARAGUS AND RICOTTA TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F and place oven rack in lower third of oven. Unfold the pastry onto a piece of parchment paper and roll 1/2" bigger on all sides. Slide the parchment (and pastry) onto a baking sheet.
• Beat the egg in a bowl. Lightly brush a 1/2" border of egg around the pastry. Add the ricotta and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper to the bowl with the remaining egg. Finely grate the zest of the lemon into the bowl; mix to combine. Fold in the chopped scallions and chopped herbs, then spread onto the pastry, leaving the 1/2" border of egg uncovered.
• Top with the asparagus and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
• In a bowl, combine the juice of the lemon, the honey, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Toss with the greens and remaining scallions and herbs. Serve with the tart.

CHEESY PUFF PASTRY ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 220ºC/430ºF. Line a baking sheet with baking/parchment paper.
• To make the cheese mixture, combine the cream cheese, egg yolks, Parmesan, thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper and mix well.
• Gently roll the puff pastry out into a large rectangle (to fit the baking sheet). Score a border around the edge (taking care not to cut all the way through the pastry).
• Spread the cream cheese mixture onto the puff pastry, staying within the borders then top with the asparagus and season with salt and pepper.. Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg.
• Place the tart into the oven and allow to bake for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden and cooked through.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS BUNDLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place asparagus and scallions on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 25 to 30 minutes, until tender. Wrap individual portions of asparagus with scallion to tie into bundles.

ASPARAGUS, SALAMI AND MOZZARELLA TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Whisk the egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl until combined. Roll out the puff pastry into a 17-inch square. Using a sharp knife, cut the puff pastry sheet into sixteen 4 1/4-inch squares. Arrange the squares on a parchment-lined baking sheet spaced evenly apart.
• Add a pinch of mozzarella to the center of each pastry square, followed by a slice of salami and 2 pieces of asparagus. Lift opposite corners of each pastry square and fold them in, wrapping the pastry around the filling. Dab some of the egg wash onto the corners and press to seal. Brush each tart with more egg wash and bake until golden brown, about 15 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.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND SCALLION QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Break off and discard woody ends of asparagus and place asparagus on the baking sheet. Drizzle on 1 tablespoon of the oil, add salt and pepper to taste and toss together with your hands until asparagus is thoroughly coated with oil. Place in oven and roast 12 minutes, or until tender and lightly browned in spots, turning asparagus halfway through. Remove asparagus from the oven and allow to cool until you can handle it. Slice into 1/2 to 3/4-inch pieces and place in a medium bowl.
• Turn oven down to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and add scallions. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Transfer to bowl with asparagus. Add tarragon and parsley and toss together.
• Beat together egg yolks and eggs in a medium bowl. Set tart pan on a baking sheet to allow for easy handling. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the bottom of the crust with some of the beaten egg and place in oven for 5 minutes.
• Add salt (I use 1/2 teaspoon), pepper, and milk to remaining eggs and whisk together.
• Spread scallion and asparagus mixture in an even layer in the crust. Stir together cheeses and sprinkle evenly on top. Very slowly pour in egg custard over the filling. If your tart pan has low edges, you may not need all of it to fill the shell, and you want to keep the custard from spilling over. Place quiche, on baking sheet, in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until set and just beginning to color on the top. Remove from oven and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

ASPARAGUS AND CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring about 1 inch of water to a boil in a large skillet. Add the asparagus; cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Drain and transfer to the ice water to stop the cooking; drain and pat dry. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Roll out the puff pastry into a 10-by-16-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Bake until light golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet.
• Meanwhile, mix the fontina, comte, shallot, egg yolks, milk, nutmeg and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a bowl until combined. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the puff pastry, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Toss the asparagus with the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Arrange the asparagus on the tart and bake until the cheese mixture is slightly puffy, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the lemon zest. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ASPARAGUS GOAT CHEESE TART WITH TARRAGON

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry into a 16-inch square and fit into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Roll a rolling pin over top of tart to trim pastry flush with top of rim. Chill pastry shell while making filling.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. with a baking sheet on lowest rack.
• In a small skillet, cook scallions in butter with salt to taste over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute, and cool.
• In a steamer set over boiling water, arrange asparagus slices and top with reserved tips. Steam asparagus, covered, until crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes, and drain well, reserving tips separately.
• In a blender, blend eggs, goat cheese, milk, and salt with pepper to taste. Add tarragon and pulse custard to combine.
• Spread scallions and asparagus slices in pastry shell and arrange reserved tips decoratively on top. Pour custard slowly over vegetables.
• Bake tart in pan on heated baking sheet in oven 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375°F. and bake tart until set, about 8 minutes. Transfer tart in pan to a rack.
• Remove rim of pan and serve tart warm or at room temperature.

RICOTTA, HAM AND SCALLION TART

Steps:

• Place a baking sheet on the top rack of the oven; preheat to 425 degrees. Grease a 9-inch fluted tart pan with 1 tablespoon butter. Line the pan with the pizza dough, carefully pressing it against the sides; trim excess dough.
• Whisk the ricotta, cream and egg in a medium bowl. Mince enough green scallion tops to make 2 tablespoons; add to the ricotta mixture along with the parsley and dill. Season with pepper. Slice the remaining scallions into 1/2- to 1/4-inch pieces.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the sliced scallions and 2 tablespoons water; cook until the scallions are tender and start to sizzle, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the ham. Spread all but a few tablespoons of the scallion mixture on the prepared crust. Pour in the ricotta mixture, then scatter the remaining scallion mixture on top.
• Bake the tart on the preheated baking sheet for 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is set. Rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove and slice.
• Photography by Antonis Achilleos

CHEESY ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the leeks, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Unroll the two pie crusts and lay on a sheet pan so that the pieces overlap slightly. Trim the edges of the pastry where it rides up the sides of the sheet pan and press these trimmings into the bare areas so that you are left with a 10-by-16-inch pastry rectangle.
• Sprinkle over the fontina, leaving a 1-inch border, then top with the leeks. Dollop on the ricotta. Scatter the thyme and asparagus pieces over the ricotta and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold the uncovered pastry edge inwards to make a 1/2-inch border all the way around the tart, in the style of a galette.
• Whisk the egg with a splash of water in a small bowl. Brush it all around the pastry edge.
• Bake the tart until it is a deep golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. (If the crust is browning too fast, reduce the heat to 425 degrees F.)
• Remove the tart from the oven, then allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve.

FRITTATA WITH ASPARAGUS AND SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Snap off the tough bottom stubs of the asparagus, peel the bottom few inches of each spear, and cut them crosswise in 1 1/2-inch pieces. Slice prosciutto or bacon into strips, or lardoons, about 1 inch long and 1/3 inch wide. Trim the scallions, and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
• Pour the olive oil into the skillet, scatter in the lardoons, and set over medium heat. When the strips are sizzling and rendering fat, toss in the cut asparagus, and roll and toss them over a few times. Cover the skillet, and cook, still over moderate heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the asparagus is slightly softened, 5 minutes or so.
• Scatter the scallion pieces in the pan, season with a couple pinches of salt, and toss the vegetables and lardoons together. Cover the skillet, and cook, shaking the pan and stirring occasionally, until the scallions and asparagus are soft and moist, 7 or 8 minutes more. Meanwhile, beat the eggs thoroughly with the remaining salt and generous grinds of black pepper.
• When the vegetables are steaming in their moisture, uncover the skillet, raise the heat, and cook, tossing, for a minute or so, until the water has evaporated and the asparagus and scallions seem about to color.
• Quickly spread them out in the pan, and pour the eggs over at once. Immediately begin folding the eggs over with the spatula, clearing the sides and skillet bottom continuously, so the eggs flow and coagulate around the vegetables and lardoons.
• When all the eggs are cooked in big soft curds-in barely a minute-take the skillet off the heat. Tumble the frittata over a few more times to keep it loose and moist. Spoon portions onto warm plates, and serve hot and steaming.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS, BABY CARROTS, AND SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• On jellyroll pan, toss asparagus, carrots and scallions with oil, salt, rosemary and pepper.
• Roast until tender, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time.

ASPARAGUS AND SCALLION TART

Steps:

• Pastry: Place the flour and butter in a food processor. Blend for a few seconds. Add half the beaten egg and blend. Add a little more egg if necessary to make the pastry come together. Flatten the ball of dough to a thickness of about 1 3/4 inches, wrap or cover with plastic, and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge. Place the pastry between two sheets of plastic, which should be bigger than your tart pan. Using a rolling pin, roll it out until it is no thicker than 1/8 inch. Make sure it is large enough to line the base and sides of the pan. Removing the top layer of plastic, invert the pastry into the 10" tart pan. Press into the edges. Remove the plastic and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350*. Line the chilled pastry with wax paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the pastry feels dry. Remove the paper and beans, brush with a little leftover beaten egg, and return to the oven for 2 minutes. Tart: Preheat the oven to 350*. To make the tart filling, heat the olive oil in a small saucepan, add the scallions and cook over a low heat until soft. Cook the asparagus by dropping it into boiling water with a pinch of salt, cover and bring back up to the boil, then remove the lid and boil, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes until it is just cooked. Drain, and then slice the asparagus into 1 1/2 inch pieces at an angle. Whisk the eggs in a bowl, add the cream and the cooked scallions and season. Pour this filling into the cooked pastry shell, still in the pan. Drop the asparagus into the tart and sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese over the top. Carefully place the tart into the preheated oven and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the tart is just set in the center. Remove from the oven, and serve out of the pan, hot or at room temperature.

ASPARAGUS WITH SCALLION BUTTER

Steps:

• In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the asparagus for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it is tender but not limp, and drain it well in a colander. In a small saucepan melt the butter, stir in the scallion, the zest, the peppercorns, and salt to taste, and simmer the mixture for 3 minutes. Strain the butter mixture through a fine sieve into the kettle, add the asparagus and salt and pepper to taste, and heat the asparagus over moderately high heat, tossing it gently, until it is heated through.

ASPARAGUS & CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Put the flour in a bowl, add the butter to the flour and rub in with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the grated cheddar into the pastry and mix. Add 3 tbsp cold water and mix until the pastry forms a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for 5 mins. Butter a 20 x 6cm deep loose-bottom tart tin, or a 35 x 12cm rectangular tart tin.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Lightly dust the work surface with flour, roll out the pastry and line the tin. Chill in the freezer for 20 mins, then line the pastry case with baking paper, fill with beans and cook for 15 mins. Remove the beans and paper, then return the pastry case to the oven for 10 mins.
• Crack the eggs into a jug, whisk, then add the milk and whisk again. Sprinkle half the grated cheese over the pastry case, then add the asparagus, egg mix and remaining cheese (if using a rectangular tin, you may not need all the mixture, so add it gradually). Bake in the lower half of the oven for 30-35 mins or until the egg mix is set.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND SCALLION SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a small pot of heavily salted water to a boil, stir in freekeh or farro, cover, and simmer until al dente, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together 2 teaspoons soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, and pinch salt and pepper. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons oil, whisking constantly.
• Drain freekeh and stir immediately into dressing while still warm.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread asparagus and scallions over a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle liberally with oil, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to combine, then arrange in a single layer. Roast until they start to char in spots, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly: The asparagus are best while still a little warm but not hot enough to wilt the greens.
• Toss salad greens in the bowl with freekeh and dressing until leaves are coated, and transfer to serving platter. Top with roasted asparagus and scallions, shave cheese over salad if you like, and serve.