Asparagus Hazelnut Custards Food

ASPARAGUS WITH ORANGE DRESSING AND TOASTED HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Toast hazelnuts in a small shallow baking pan until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Trim woody ends from asparagus and, if desired, peel lower 2 inches of stems with a vegetable peeler. Cook asparagus in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes, and drain well in a colander. Whisk together remaining ingredients except nuts with salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer hot asparagus to plates. Spoon orange dressing over top and sprinkle with nuts.

ASPARAGUS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, mustard, vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth and emulsified.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Sprinkle generously with salt. Add the asparagus to the water and, depending on the size of the asparagus, blanch for 3 to 5 minutes. It should still have some bite left to it. Add the warm asparagus to the dressing and toss well to coat.
• Fan the asparagus out on a platter and sprinkle with the mizuna. Scatter the hazelnuts and goat cheese on top and drizzle with any dressing that may remain in the bowl.

HAZELNUT CUSTARDS

Steps:

• In a mortar and pestle or a food processor, pound the hazelnuts until finely ground.
• In a medium heavy saucepan, bring the cream to a boil over medium high heat (watch carefully that it does not boil over). Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Stir in the hazelnuts, bring back up to the boil and remove from the heat. Cool the mixture almost to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg and the egg yolks together until evenly blended. Slowly pour the cream mixture in, stirring all the time, until absorbed. Add the Frangelico and then strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup with a lip, pressing hard against the mesh to extract all the flavor from the nuts. Pour the custard mixture into twelve 2 ounce ramekins and arrange them in a large roasting pan. Pour a little boiling water in the base of the pan, to come about halfway up the sides of the little custard pots. Bake on the middle rack until the custards are set in the center, about 35 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 1 hour. Serve 2 or 3 little custards per person and, using a vegetable peeler, shave a few small curls of chocolate over the top of each.

ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Thinly slice 1 bunch trimmed asparagus on the bias. Toss with 1 tablespoon each roasted hazelnut oil and sherry vinegar in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts. Drizzle with more hazelnut oil and sprinkle with flaky salt.

HAZELNUT ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and pepper flakes; cook and stir until onion is softened, 4-5 minutes. Add asparagus and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until asparagus is tender, 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly., Place nuts, basil and lemon juice in a blender. Add asparagus mixture. Process until smooth and creamy. Return to saucepan. Stir in almond milk, tamari sauce and salt. Heat through, taking care not to boil soup. If desired, top with shaved asparagus.

HAZELNUT PARMESAN ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• In 12-inch skillet, heat water to boiling. Add asparagus. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook 4 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain; set aside.
• In same skillet, melt margarine over medium-high heat. Stir in mushrooms. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are light brown.
• Stir asparagus, basil, salt and pepper into mushrooms until vegetables are coated with seasonings and asparagus is heated through. Sprinkle with cheese and hazelnuts.

FARFALLE WITH MASCARPONE, ASPARAGUS, AND HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place asparagus on prepared sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat; spread in single layer. Roast until asparagus is tender, about 10 minutes. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead; let stand at room temperature.)
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water. Return pasta to pot. Stir in mascarpone, grated Parmesan cheese, and asparagus. Toss over medium-low heat until pasta is coated with sauce and mixture is heated through, adding reserved pasta water by 1/4 cupfuls if dry, about 3 minutes.
• Mound pasta in large shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle with hazelnuts, chives, and Parmesan cheese shavings.
• *Italian cream cheese; can be found at Italian markets and some supermarkets.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON, PARMIGIANO AND HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Holding both ends of each asparagus spear, break them where they naturally want to snap. Discard the stems. Toss the snapped asparagus with some olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Lay the asparagus neatly on a sheet tray and roast until the asparagus is pliable and starting to turn brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
• Toss the arugula with the lemon zest and juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Taste to make sure it is delicious. Lay the arugula on a serving platter. Top with the roasted asparagus, hazelnuts and Parmigiano.
• Spring has sprung!

ASPARAGUS WITH HAZELNUTS AND TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Pour water into large pot to depth of 1 inch and bring to boil. Place asparagus on steamer rack set over water in pot. Cover pot and steam until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus to bowl of ice water and cool. Drain. Place asparagus on paper towels. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Combine shallots, vinegar, tarragon and mustard in bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place baby lettuces on large platter. Arrange asparagus atop lettuces. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Sprinkle with hazelnuts.

ASPARAGUS WITH HAZELNUT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Make vinaigrette:
• In a bowl whisk together shallot, vinegar, mustard, sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Add oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk until emulsified. Whisk in hazelnuts.
• Finely chop egg. In a deep 10- to 12-inch skillet bring 1 1/2 inches salted water to a boil and cook asparagus over high heat until crisp-tender, about 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus with tongs to a colander and drain.
• Transfer asparagus to a serving dish. Spoon vinaigrette over asparagus and sprinkle with egg. Serve asparagus warm or at room temperature.

ASPARAGUS WITH HAZELNUT GREMOLATA

Steps:

• In a large pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring about 1 inch water to a boil. Add the asparagus, cover, and steam until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove from the pot.
• In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, garlic, chopped parsley, hazelnuts, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and salt.
• Toss well to mix and coat.
• Arrange the asparagus neatly on a serving platter and garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon zest.
• Serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH PARMESAN CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Make custards:
• Bring cheese, cream, and milk just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and steep, covered, 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Pour steeped cream through a very fine sieve into a bowl, pressing lightly on cheese solids and discarding them. Whisk together whole egg, yolks, salt, and white pepper in another bowl, then add steeped cream in a stream, whisking until smooth. Divide among well-buttered ramekins.
• Set ramekins in a baking pan and bake in a hot water bath in middle of oven until centers of custards are completely set, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer ramekins to a rack and cool 5 minutes (do not allow to cool longer, or custards will stick to ramekins).
• Make soup while cream steeps and custards bake:
• Wash chopped leek in a bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain well. Cook leek, shallot, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in butter in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until leek is softened, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus, broth, and water and simmer, covered, until asparagus is just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. After 2 to 4 minutes, remove 6 asparagus tips, halve lengthwise and reserve for garnish.
• Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Transfer to a large bowl, then pour through a sieve into cleaned pot. Stir in cream, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste and heat over moderately low heat until hot.
• Serve soup with custards:
• Working with 1 custard at a time, run a thin knife around edge of each to loosen it, then invert a soup bowl over ramekin and invert custard into bowl. Repeat with remaining custards. Ladle soup around custards and garnish with reserved asparagus tips and parmesan curls.