Asparagus Custard Recipes

ASPARAGUS CUSTARD TART

Steps:

• Roll out puff pastry into a 14-inch square on a lightly floured surface; cut into a 13-inch round with a paring knife (use a bowl or a plate as a template). Transfer to a 9-inch round baking dish or a 5 1/2-to-6-cup deep-dish pie plate. Prick all over with a fork. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line tart shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place on a baking sheet and bake until edges turn pale golden brown, about 40 minutes. Remove crust from oven and remove pie weights and parchment. Return crust to oven and bake until bottom is dry and golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Add asparagus stalks and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water; when cool, transfer to a plate and pat dry. Add asparagus tips to boiling water and cook 30 seconds. Drain and transfer to ice water; drain when cool. Pat tips dry and toss with oil in a bowl. Transfer stalks to a blender. Add eggs, cream, flour, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt to blender and puree until very smooth.
• Pour custard into crust. Sprinkle with Gruyere and goat cheese and top with asparagus tips. Bake until edges of custard are puffed, top is golden brown, and center is set, about 40 minutes. (Tent with foil if necessary to prevent overbrowning.) Let cool on a wire rack 15 minutes before serving.

ASPARAGUS WITH CREAMY MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• In a bowl, stir together 2 tablespoonsmayonnaise, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1tablespoon white-wine vinegar, and1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Season withsalt and pepper. Drizzle over chilled Steamed Asparagus.

ASPARAGUS CUSTARD

Steps:

• Bring 2 quarts water and the salt to a boil in a 7- to 8-quart pot. Throw in the asparagus. Return the water to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the asparagus in a colander and let sit for 1 hour to remove excess water. Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Melt the butter in a small nonstick pan. Add the onion. Cook over medium-low heat until the onion is soft and translucent. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until blended. Beat in the heavy cream, cheese and chives. Mix the asparagus and onion with the heavy cream mixture. Pour into a 10-inch quiche pan. Place the pan on a cookie sheet to catch any spills. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the top is brown and puffed up and the custard has set.

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, LEEK & GRUYERE TART IN TARRAGON SAVORY CUSTARD

Steps:

• Make pastry.
• Mix 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 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. Set 6 or so pieces of the asparagus aside for decoration, if you choose to.
• 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 remainder of sliced asparagus and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and quickly remove from heat.
• Finish filling and assemble and bake tart.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into an 11-inch round, then fit dough inside 10" tart pan, 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, leeks and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spoon asparagus 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 6 or so asparagus tips set aside earlier 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.

ASPARAGUS GRUYERE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
• Remove pastry shell from oven, and sprinkle with Gruyere. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over Gruyere, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

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 MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Place asparagus in a shallow baking dish; dot with butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until tender., In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Cover and microwave on high for 1 to 1-1/4 minutes or until heated through. Serve with asparagus.

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.

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.