Asparagus Beets And Bleu Cheese Food

ASPARAGUS AND BEET TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the beets in a small baking dish and add about 1/2 inch water. Cover with foil and bake until the beets are easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the beets to a plate and let cool. Wipe off the skins with a paper towel and slice into small wedges; set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon thyme, a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and caramelized, 20 to 25 minutes. (Add 1 to 2 teaspoons more water to the skillet, if needed.) Transfer the onion mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. Let cool.
• Roll out the puff pastry into a 9-by-11-inch rectangle on a sheet of parchment paper. Transfer the dough on the parchment to a baking sheet. Score a 1-inch border around the edge of the dough with a paring knife. Brush the border with the beaten egg. Spread the onion puree inside the border.
• Combine the beets, asparagus, olive oil, the remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a bowl and toss to coat. Arrange on top of the onion puree.
• Bake the tart until the dough is well browned and the asparagus is tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Scatter the goat cheese and chives on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ASPARAGUS WITH BLUE CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, cook asparagus in a small amount of water until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, whisk cream cheese, milk and salt over low heat until smooth. Stir in blue cheese and heat through. Drain asparagus and top with sauce.

BEETROOT, FETA & ASPARAGUS SALAD

Steps:

• The day before: make the dressing. Put the oregano or marjoram, a pinch of salt and the garlic into a food processor and pulse to a paste. Add the lemon juice and whizz until smooth. Stir in the olive oil and season - it should be sharp and a bit salty.Cover and chill.
• Two hours before serving: bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the asparagus and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and cool under the cold tap. Cover and keep cool.
• Put the beetroot in a large bowl and toss with twothirds of the dressing. Add the lemon zest and spring onions, cover and keep at cool room temperature with the remaining dressing.
• To serve: add the watercress to the beetroot and tear in the basil. Toss in the asparagus and season with freshly ground black pepper. Taste before adding salt as the cheese is quite salty.Mix lightly, so you don't dye everything pink, then pile into a serving dish. Crumble over the cheese and pour the remaining dressing on top.

ROASTED FRESH ASPARAGUS, BEETS, AND GOAT CHEESE MEDLEY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425º F. Wash asparagus and cut off the tougher bottom parts of the stems. (Don't snap the ends as you lose too much of the asparagus). If sizes vary dramatically, slice the largest asparagus stems lengthwise. The asparagus can be chopped uniformly into halves or thirds or left whole.
• Wash and peel beets and slice into small cubes. Place asparagus and beets in a large bowl. Add olive oil, seasoning, and thyme and toss until completely coated.Cover baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange asparagus and beets on the sheet so they are spread out and not overlapping. Use a spatula to gather any remaining oil and seasonings to drizzle over the arranged vegetables. Bake for 15-20 minutes until beets are tender then remove them from the oven. Pile the asparagus and beets into the middle of the baking pan. Add cheese, fruit, and almonds. Bake another 10 minutes.

ASPARAGUS, PICKLED BEETS & BLUE CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Boil water for asparagus, add salt.
• Make a ice water bath in a large bowl. You will use to shock the asparagus and halt the cooking.
• Trim tough ends off of asparagus spears, leave whole.
• Place asparagus spears in boiling water. Blanche for 2-3 minutes.
• Quickly remove from hot water and place in ice water bath to shock.
• Prepare onions and pickled beets as suggested.
• Arrange asparagus spears on a platter or individual salad plates.
• Sprinkle and arrange the onion slices, beets and blue cheese.
• Top with a light champagne vinaigrette. I like Girard's brand.

NAPOLEON OF BEETS AND HERB GOAT CHEESE WITH GRILLED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Cook beets in salted boiling water until tender, cool in refrigerator, and peel off skin. Soften goat cheese at room temperature, add in herbs, salt and pepper, and garlic; mix well and place in pastry bag. Slice beets into 1/8-inch thick on mandolin and place on plate, pipe goat cheese in between each layer of beets, repeat beet, goat, and top with beet. Garnish plate with asparagus that has been blanched, shocked, and grilled with olive oil. Top with red pepper, tomato, and drizzle with truffle oil.

ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the beets in a baking pan, drizzle with the oil, and season with salt. Cover with foil. Bake for about 1 hour, or until tender when pierced with a knife.
• In a 1-quart non-reactive saucepan, over medium-high heat, reduce the tangerine juice to about 3/4 cup. Add the lemon juice. Remove from the heat and strain with a fine sieve.
• Return to the saucepan; add lemon juice, salt and pepper. Over medium heat, reduce until the mixture bubbles and has a syrup-like consistency. You should have about 1/4 cup. Remove from the heat and strain again. Let cool to room temperature. Add the olive oil. Set aside. (Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 1/2 weeks.)
• When cool enough to handle, peel the beets, and thinly slice them into rounds. Arrange on a serving platter and drizzle with the dressing. In a large bowl, toss the spinach with the remaining dressing and place spinach on top of beets in the center of the platter.
• Remove the wedge of blue cheese from the freezer. Using a microplane grater, grate the desired amount over the salad. Garnish with toasted almonds.

ASPARAGUS, BEETS AND BLEU CHEESE

Steps:

• Trim the asparagus, peel each stem and cook in boiling water just until it's firm to the bite, 2-3 minutes.
• Drain and chill in cold running water.
• Arrange the cold asparagus spears on a serving platter and pile the sliced beets on that.
• Mix the oil, beet juice and vinegar in a bowl and drizzle over the beets and asparagus.
• Garnish with some crumbled bleu cheese and a dusting of the chopped pecans. Serve right away.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS W/ BLUE CHEESE & TOASTED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425.
• Trim and wash asparagus then arrange in a shallow roasting pan.
• Drizzle olive oil over asparagus and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Toss asparagus to evenly coat.
• Roast in oven for 10-12 minutes.
• Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with blue cheese, then top with walnuts.

FETTUCCINE WITH ASPARAGUS, BEET GREEN PESTO, AND POACHED EGG

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium and toast walnuts, shaking pan often, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate or bowl and let cool; reserve skillet.
• Pulse cooled walnuts, beet greens, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, 2 tsp. lemon juice, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a food processor until finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in 3/4 cup oil until a thick sauce forms. Add 2/3 cup Parmesan and pulse until well combined. You should have about 1 1/2 cups pesto.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a very low simmer. The water should register 180°F on an instant-read thermometer. Set a large bowl of ice water near your work station. Crack eggs into 4 ramekins or small bowls. Transfer 1 egg to a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl to drain slightly (this will help remove extra egg whites and give the poached eggs a more compact shape). Carefully lower egg in strainer into hot water until egg is completely submerged. Gently shake strainer and carefully shape egg with a slotted spoon until edges of egg white start to turn opaque, 30-60 seconds. Carefully release egg from strainer into water with slotted spoon. Cook egg, turning and shaping occasionally with slotted spoon, until egg white is opaque and firm and yolk is plump and jiggles slightly to the touch, 3-3 1/2 minutes more. Transfer egg using a slotted spoon to the ice bath. As the first egg cooks, repeat steps to poach remaining 3 eggs, but keep an eye on which egg went in first. Use a timer to avoid overcooking.
• Bring the pot of water to a boil and cook fettuccine, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Using tongs or a spider, transfer pasta to a colander to drain. Reserve pasta cooking liquid in pot and set aside 1 cup liquid for the pasta sauce.
• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in reserved skillet over medium-high. Add asparagus and sauté until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup pesto and 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid; gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Add fettuccine and simmer, tossing occasionally, until well combined. If sauce is too loose, continue to simmer; if it's too thick, add more pasta cooking liquid to loosen and stir vigorously to combine. Season with 1/2 tsp. salt, remaining 1 tsp. lemon juice, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper.
• Meanwhile, return the pot of water to a very low simmer. Transfer eggs from ice bath to pot to reheat until warm, 30-60 seconds. Remove eggs using a slotted spoon and place on a plate rubbed with a little olive oil. Divide pasta among 4 plates and top with poached eggs and Parmesan.
• Do Ahead
• Pesto can be made and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

BLUE CHEESE ASPARAGUS ROLLUPS

Steps:

• Flatten each slice of bread with a rolling pin so it is less than 1/4" thick.
• Mix Blue cheese, worcestershire sauce, beaten egg, cream cheese and seasonings.
• Spread the mix on each slice of bread.
• put an asparagus spear at the edge of each slice and roll up like a Jelly roll.
• Coat the outside of each roll with butter.
• Cut each roll into 3 pieces.
• Place, seam side down, on a cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, 375°F.
• Turn over to the other side after about 10 minutes.
• The rolls should be nice and golden.

MARINATED ASPARAGUS WITH BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups water to a boil. Add asparagus; cook, uncovered, 2-3 minutes or just until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus and immediately drop into ice water. Drain and pat dry., In a large resealable plastic bag, combine green onions, oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Add asparagus; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate at least 1 hour., Drain asparagus, discarding marinade. Place asparagus on a serving plate; sprinkle with cheese.

BLUE CHEESE & ASPARAGUS SALAD

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with ice water. Set aside.
• Bring large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Add asparagus and cook until crisp-tender.
• Drain asparagus and plunge into ice bath for 1 minute, then drain and set aside.
• Whisk together orange juice and olive oil.
• Toss asparagus, blue cheese and oranges together and drizzle over dressing.
• Toss gently and sprinkle with salt to taste.