Asparagus Pudding From The U S V I Food

ASPARAGUS AND PARMESAN PUDDINGS

Steps:

• Butter eight 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Coat with breadcrumbs. Cut off asparagus tips. Cook tips in large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain; reserve tips and 1 cup cooking liquid. Coarsely chop asparagus stalks.
• Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add stalks; sauté until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add reserved asparagus cooking liquid. Cover; simmer until stalks are tender, about 12 minutes.
• Uncover; cook until liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Transfer to food processor; puree. Add Parmesan, ricotta and flour. Using on/off turns, process just until blended. Season with salt and pepper.
• Whisk eggs in bowl to blend. Add asparagus puree; whisk to blend. Stir in all but 16 asparagus tips. Divide custard among cups. Place cups in roasting pan. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill puddings and remaining asparagus tips.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour hot water into pan to come 1 inch up sides of cups. Bake puddings until set, about 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Invert onto plates. Garnish with asparagus tips.

CAMEMBERT-ASPARAGUS BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish, and set dish aside. Snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus. Using a vegetable peeler, carefully peel outer layer from bottom 2 inches of asparagus spears.
• Fill a large straight-sided saute pan with salted water, and bring to a boil; prepare an ice bath. Add asparagus, and cook until bright green, about 1 minute. Transfer asparagus to ice bath, and let cool. Drain, transfer to a clean kitchen towel, and pat dry. Set asparagus aside.
• Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, and cook, stirring once or twice, until mushrooms turn golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a plate; set aside.
• Melt remaining tablespoon butter with remaining tablespoon oil, and add onion. Cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from heat, and set aside.
• Randomly arrange half of the bread pieces on bottom of prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle half of the rosemary over the top. Place half of the asparagus, onions, mushrooms, and cheese on top. Make a second layer with remaining bread, rosemary, asparagus, onions, mushrooms, and cheese.
• To make custard, combine milk and cream in a medium saucepan, and set over medium-high heat; cook until mixture is hot. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, hot-milk mixture, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until combined.
• Pour custard over pudding. Press down on pudding, completely soaking top layer of bread, and place a plate on top. Weigh down the plate with a can or other object. Let pudding stand 20 minutes.
• Bake pudding until custard has set and top is golden, about 45 minutes. Remove dish from oven, and transfer to a wire rack to cool, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve.

SAVORY ASPARAGUS BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan or casserole with nonstick cooking spray.
• Using a serrated knife, cut the bread into 3/4-inch cubes and put all of the cubes in a large bowl.
• In medium bowl, whish together the milk, broth, eggs, salt, pepper, and dill until combined. Pour the mixture over the bread.
• Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus and cut the spears into 1-inch pieces. Add them to the bread along with the mushrooms and shallots.
• Fold everything together well to combine the ingredients. Spoon them into the prepared pan and pat down the top to compact the ingredients. Sprinkle the cheese evenly ever the top.
• Bake the pudding for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned and crisp and there is no liquid in the center. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting into portions.

ASPARAGUS BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces on the diagonal. Steam asparagus for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly tender. Chill under cold running water. Drain well.
• Whisk together milk, eggs, salt and pepper until well blended.
• Butter a 12 ½ x 8 x 4-inch oval casserole dish (or 12-cup baking dish). Layer 4 slices of bread in dish, overlapping as necessary. Top with one-third each of asparagus, Provolone and herbs. Repeat layering.
• Pour egg mixture over top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or for up to 1 day to let egg mixture soak into bread.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Sprinkle pudding with Parmesan cheese. Bake on middle rack for about 60 minutes or until centre is set and top is golden.

ASPARAGUS PUDDING FROM THE U. S. V. I.

Steps:

• Cream the butter and flour, then heat over a low flame, stirring constantly for about five minutes.
• Combine milk and asparagus juice and add to flour-butter mixture.
• Stir vigorously and add salt; remove from flame.
• Add eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition.
• Line a greased mold with the asparagus tips and fill halfway with pudding mixture (pudding will double in size while cooking, so don't fill the mold).
• Cover mold with wax paper and aluminum foil and set in a water bath (a larger pan filled halfway with water).
• Keep the water bath at a boil to steam the pudding (about 45 minutes).

BIG BREAKFAST WITH ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Arrange the bacon and black pudding in a shallow roasting tin that's large enough for all the ingredients to fit snugly. Roast for 10 mins until the bacon is starting to crisp up, then turn over the bacon and black pudding and cook for another 5 mins.
• Toss the asparagus in the oil and season, then add to the tin in bunches. Roast for another 5 mins, then remove from the oven and turn the asparagus, leaving 2 holes for the eggs. Crack an egg into each gap and put back in the oven for 4-5 mins until the whites are just set but the yolks are still runny. Serve immediately, straight from the tin, with toast and your choice of sauce.

ASPARAGUS BRUNCH STACK

Steps:

• Bring a pan of water to the boil and poach the eggs. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
• Tip the asparagus spears into the water and cook for 3 mins. Meanwhile, grill or pan-fry the black pudding until crispy on the outside. Make stacks of black pudding, a handful of watercress and the asparagus, and top each with an egg.

SPANISH ASPARAGUS REVUELTO

Steps:

• Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add peeled garlic cloves and let them sizzle until lightly browned, then remove. Add bread cubes, season with salt and pepper, lower heat to medium and gently fry until lightly browned and crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove bread and set aside to cool.
• Add chorizo and fry lightly. Add asparagus, season with salt and pepper, and stir-fry until cooked through but firm, 3 to 4 minutes. Add green onions and minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
• Season eggs with salt, pepper and pimentón. Pour into pan and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, just until soft and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add parsley and serve immediately, topped with the fried bread cubes.

SAVORY BREAD PUDDING WITH ASPARAGUS, GRUYèRE, AND FINES HERBES

Steps:

• Place bread on 2 large baking sheets. Let stand uncovered overnight to dry out.
• Cook asparagus in medium pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold running water to cool. Drain well.
• Whisk eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Mix cheeses and herbs in medium bowl. Place half of bread in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle with half of asparagus, then half of cheese mixture. Pour half of egg mixture over. Repeat with remaining bread, asparagus, cheese mixture, and egg mixture. Let stand 20 minutes, pressing with spatula to submerge bread pieces.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake bread pudding until brown and puffed, about 45 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.