Asparagus Hazelnut Custards Food

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.

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.

WARM SALAD OF ASPARAGUS, BACON, DUCK EGG & HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Heat grill to High and cook the bacon for 5 mins until crisp, then snip with scissors into pieces. Set aside. Cook the eggs in boiling water for 8 mins (5 mins for hen's eggs), drain and plunge into ice water, to cool as quickly as possible.
• Make the dressing: whisk all ingredients together with seasoning. Prepare the asparagus by snapping off the base of each spear - it'll break at the tender point.
• Just before serving, put the nuts and bacon into a warm oven. Halve the eggs and season. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil; cook the asparagus for about 5 mins, until just tender. Drain, then divide between plates. Add egg halves, sprinkle with nuts and bacon, then drizzle with dressing in a zigzag pattern.

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.

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 & PROSCIUTTO BUNDLES WITH GOAT'S CHEESE & HAZELNUT DIP

Steps:

• Heat a griddle pan. Drizzle the asparagus with a little oil, season and cook for 3-4 mins, rolling around the pan until just tender. Leave to cool.
• Lay a slice of prosciutto on your chopping board. Put 3 asparagus spears on top, with the tips poking out the end, then top with a few rocket leaves and 2 semi-dried tomatoes. Roll up the prosciutto tightly to enclose the filling and put in a sealable container for transporting. Continue until all the ingredients are used up.
• Mash the cream cheese and goat's cheese together in a bowl with a fork. Season and add enough milk to make a smooth consistency, into which you can dip the bundles. Transfer to a pot for travelling and sprinkle over the hazelnuts.

ASPARAGUS CUSTARD TART

Steps:

• Make pastry:
• Blend together flour, salt, and butter in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle evenly with egg and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in processor) just until a dough forms.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Make filling while pastry chills:
• Wash leek in a bowl of cold water, agitating water, then lift out leek and pat dry.
• Cook asparagus in a wide 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer asparagus with tongs to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry. Cut off and reserve tips (leave more stalk if asparagus is thin), then thinly slice stalks crosswise.
• Heat butter in a 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat until foam subsides, then cook leek with 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in sliced asparagus and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and remove from heat.
• Finish filling and assemble and bake tart:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and put flan ring in center of baking sheet. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into an 11-inch round, then fit dough inside flan ring, pressing dough against bottom edge and side of ring. Run rolling pin over top edge of ring to cut off excess dough.
• Whisk together cream, 2 eggs, tarragon, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Lightly beat remaining egg with water in a small bowl and brush tart shell all over with some egg wash. Spoon asparagus mixture into shell, spreading evenly, then pour cream mixture over asparagus.
• Bake tart until filling is just beginning to set but still loose on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Scatter asparagus tips over top, pressing lightly if necessary to help them settle into filling, then continue to bake until custard is golden and just set but still slightly wobbly in center, about 30 minutes more (custard will continue to set as it cools).
• Cool tart on baking sheet on a rack until warm, about 30 minutes. Loosen edge with a small sharp knife, then lift off flan ring. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.
• *Available at cookware stores and Bridge Kitchenware (212-688-4220; bridgekitchenware.com).

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 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.