Bacon Asparagus Tartlet Food

ASPARAGUS, BACON & SHALLOT TART

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to an 11-in. tart pan and press into edges. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°. Prick crust with a fork 5 or 6 times; line with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edge is light golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is light golden brown, 4-5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven setting to 375°., Trim tough ends from asparagus. Reserve 8 spears; cut remaining asparagus into 1/2-in. pieces., In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, 6-8 minutes; remove and drain. Add olive oil to skillet, then red onion, shallot and chopped asparagus; cook and stir until softened, 6-8 minutes. Stir in vinegar; cook 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Return bacon to pan; stir in tomatoes, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Spoon into crust., Whisk eggs and cream; stir in cheddar cheese until blended. Pour over top. Arrange reserved asparagus spears in a spoke pattern with tips facing outward. Sprinkle with Gruyere cheese. Bake until a knife inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

BACON AND ASPARAGUS FLAN

Steps:

• Slice the asparagus into lengths of about 5cm/2in. Half fill a large non-stick frying pan with water and bring to the boil. Add the asparagus, bring back to the boil and cook for a minute until just tender. Drain and rinse under running water until cold, then pat dry.
• Trim any fat off the bacon and cut into 1cm/½in strips. Return the pan to a low heat, add the oil and gently fry the onion and bacon until lightly browned, stirring regularly.
• Add the onion and bacon to the bowl with the asparagus, toss lightly and leave to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Place a baking tray in the oven to heat.
• Lightly oil a 20cm/8in loose-based fluted flan tin that's about 3.5cm/1½in deep. Pour the rest of the oil into a small bowl.
• Place a sheet of filo pastry in the flan tin, pressing it firmly against the base and sides. Using the tip of a pastry brush, brush the pastry with a little oil then cover with a second pastry sheet at a right angle to the first. Brush with more oil and cover with a third sheet at the same angle to the first. Brush with the oil and cover with a fourth sheet, running in the same direction as the second. Roll and crumple the overhanding pastry back on to the rim of the tin, lifting slightly above it, and brush lightly with the remaining oil. Place the tin on the baking tray.
• Put the cornflour in a non-stick saucepan and stir in 50ml/2fl oz of the milk to make thin paste. Pour over 200ml/7fl oz of the milk and stir well. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.
• Cook for a minute over a medium heat, stirring, until the sauce is thick and smooth.
• Season, then remove from the heat and stir in the rest of the milk to cool and loosen the sauce.
• Stir in the beaten eggs until thoroughly combined.
• Scatter half the asparagus, bacon and onion mixture over the base of the pastry case and pour the white sauce gently on top. Scatter the remaining asparagus and bacon mixture on top and press down lightly, then sprinkle evenly with the cheese.
• Bake on the preheated baking tray in the centre of the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is lightly browned and crisp and the filling is set.
• Take the flan out of the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing. Serve warm or cold.

FRIED ASPARAGUS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Cook and stir bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Discard grease.
• Melt butter in the same skillet.
• Cook and stir asparagus and shallot with salt and black pepper in melted butter and bacon. Cover skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer asparagus mixture to a platter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

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 & BACON TART

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450°F.
• In a medium frying pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minute Transfer to paper towels. Pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the bacon fat from the pan. Add the shallot to the pan and sauté for about 1 minute Add the asparagus and cook over medium-high heat until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minute Remove the pan from the heat. Crumble the bacon into tiny pieces and mix it with the asparagus and shallot.
• On a lightly floured piece of kitchen parchment, roll out the pastry to a 10x16-inch rectangle. Transfer the pastry and the parchment to a baking sheet.
• Using your fingers, pat the goat cheese onto the pastry, spreading it as evenly as you can and leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle the asparagus, bacon, and shallot mixture evenly over the goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
• Brush the edge of the tart with the egg wash. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, 20 to 25 minute (be sure to cook the pastry fully to get it light and crisp). Let cool slightly and serve warm.

HERBY ASPARAGUS & BACON TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll out the pastry to about 15 x 30cm, the thickness of a £1 coin, and trim the edges. Transfer to a lightly floured baking tray. Score a 1cm border, making sure you don't go all the way through the base. Prick all over the base with a fork, brush the edges of the tart with beaten egg and bake for 15 mins.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small pan and fry the lardons until golden and crisp. Mix the ricotta, mascarpone, lemon zest, herbs and half the Parmesan in a bowl with salt and lots of black pepper.
• Remove tray from the oven, squash down centre of the tart and spread with cheese mixture. Scatter over the bacon, reserving the oil. Place asparagus along length of the tart, alternating direction of the tips. Brush with a little bacon oil, scatter over the remaining Parmesan and bake for 20 mins more. Serve warm.

CHEESE, BACON & ASPARAGUS PUFFS

Steps:

• Heat the grill to high. Lay the bacon on a baking tray in a single layer and grill for 8-10 mins until starting to crisp at the edges. Leave to cool. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Meanwhile, unroll the pastry sheet and cut into six squares. Pile a small mound of the cheese in the centre of each square, reserving some of the cheese for scattering over later. Trim the woodier ends of the asparagus spears so each one is about 10cm long. Place four spears diagonally across each mound of cheese. Chop the bacon into small pieces and sprinkle over.
• Working with one pastry square at a time, fold the two corners not covered by the asparagus into the centre and pinch the ends together gently to seal. Repeat with the remaining squares, then scatter over the reserved cheese. Can now be frozen for up to three months.
• Transfer the puffs to a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 20-25 mins (or 35 mins from frozen), or until golden brown. Leave to cool on the tray for a few minutes before serving.