asparagus | James & Everett

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tart

Christoph — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:30:17 +0000

Simple. A classic French treat, this savory tart is perfect for an appetizer, lunch, or dinner. Full of flavor and easy to make, this asparagus and goat cheese tart is a stunning treat for any occasion. The subtle taste of the tender spears, creamy cheese, and golden pastry create a harmonious combination that will dazzle your tongue. Served warm or at room temperature, this tart is certain to get rave reviews.

Asparagus & Goat Cheese Tart

Simple. A classic French treat, this savory tart is perfect for an appetizer, lunch, or dinner. Tender spears, creamy cheese, and golden pastry create a harmonious combination that will dazzle your tongue. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Course Appetizer, Brunch

Cuisine French, Retro

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings 8

Ingredients

Flour
1 sheet puff pastry
1 1/2 cups goat cheese crumbles
1 1/2 pounds medium asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Position rack in center of oven and heat to 400 degrees.
Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a large skillet. Cook asparagus for about 4 minutes or until bright green in color. Drain the asparagus and rinse in cool water to stop the cooking. Place asparagus on a clean towel to dry.
Lightly dust a pastry board with flour and roll the dough into a 10” x 16” inch rectangle.
Transfer on to a parchment lined baking sheet.
Fold about 1″ of dough in around the edges to form a frame. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough inside the folded edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals.
Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. The center of the pastry will puff up as it cooks, but will deflate as it cools leaving a “tray” to build your tart on.
Evenly cover the top of the pastry with the crumbled goat cheese.
Trim the asparagus to fit inside the frame of the tart. Place the spears close together alternating directions as you go.
Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil, and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender.
Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting.

Serve

Best served at room temperature or just slightly warm. A bed of salad makes an excellent companion for this pastry.

Notes

Add a sprinkle of red pepper flake to spice up your tart.

The post Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tart first appeared on James & Everett.

Egg & Bacon Cups ~ Eggs Vivian

Christoph — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 14:30:07 +0000

A sumptuous bacon and egg cup perched high on top puff pastry and fresh tomato, served with steamed asparagus and hollandaise sauce, “Eggs Vivian” is the brunch dish dreams are made of.It is possible that you have never heard of a dish called eggs Vivian. You might have heard of fabergé eggs created by designer Vivian Alexander that are also works of art, but that is not where I got the name for my masterpiece. The inspiration for this delight was my mothers’, mothers’, sister, my great Aunt Vivian.

Born in 1897, Vivian spent her working years as a teacher, and by the time I was five years of age, was already an old woman. Upon her retirement, Vivian who had never married, moved to be close to her sister and our family. As a treat, from time to time she would invite us children, usually one at a time, to spend the weekend with her. We would have a wonderful time playing educational games like Authors, the 50 states, reading books, helping solve crossword puzzles, and making mobius strips. Things that would send a child of today run away screaming. As an extra treat, sometimes for breakfast, she would make me her special bacon and egg cups. I had never seen them anywhere else and remember thinking how fancy they were.

Several years ago, my partner Kelly and I hosted Christmas in our home, and invited the entire family to come and stay. It was rather exciting, since our family had not all been together for a holiday for more than twenty years. I decked the halls and planned the menus. One morning for breakfast we served bacon and egg cups, and me being me, and somewhat silly, called the dish “eggs Vivian”. As we sat enjoying the marvelous meal, my youngest sister Rosemary asked why the name. I related my story of how our great Auntie would make them for me on my stay overs. With a saddened look on her face, she announced that Vivian had never made them for her. With an equally disappointed look on her face, my other sister Jennifer followed suit and mentioned she had never had them either. My mother, who was know to be Vivian’s favorite niece put down her fork, and in a disgusted tone blurted out that she never made them for her either. Thus the birth of eggs Vivian. Oh the joys of sharing at the holidays.

Eggs Vivian

A sumptuous bacon and egg cup perched high on top puff pastry and fresh tomato, served with steamed asparagus and Hollandaise sauce, “Eggs Vivian” is the brunch dish dreams are made of.

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American, French

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings 6

Ingredients

6 eggs
6 strips bacon precooked halfway
1 sheet puff pastry dough
1 tomato sliced
½ pound asparagus steamed
2 cups hollandaise sauce

Instructions

Heat oven to 400° F.
Roll out puff pastry dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut shapes out of the dough and bake on a parchment covered baking sheet for 12 minutes, according to the directions.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon for 4-5 minutes or until about half way cooked.
Lightly spray a muffin pan with non stick spray. Curl a strip of bacon into each cup, followed by an egg.
Bake egg cups at 400° F for about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand for a few minutes before removing them from the pan. (The eggs will appear slightly under cooked but will set up quickly as they rest).

Serve

Place a slice of tomato on the puff pastry and top with an egg cup. Serve with asparagus with Hollandaise sauce.

Notes

This is one dish I promise, that is certain to become a favorite in your house.

The post Egg & Bacon Cups ~ Eggs Vivian first appeared on James & Everett.

Asparagus Soup

Christoph — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:30:58 +0000

One of the sure signs that spring is just around the corner is the arrival of fresh asparagus in the market. It is not that asparagus in not available other times of the year, but around the beginning of March the produce displays begin to swell with a plethora of attractively priced, delicate spears. During the winter months in our local markets, asparagus typically runs between $5 and $6 a pound, making it something reserved for a special occasion. But as the days grow warmer, local growers start shipping their produce in abundance, and we are able to afford to feast on the bounty.

Asparagus is actually a member of the lily family, and was found to have been used in Aswan, Egypt about 20,000 years ago as a vegetable, and a diuretic. The Greeks and Romans ate it fresh in season, and dried it for use in the winter months. The Roman Emperor Augustus had the delicate spears transported by his ‘Asparagus Fleet’ to regions high in the Swiss Alps for frozen storage to insure fresh spears for the Feast of Epicurus. It was not until the 1500’s that these tender shoots were given attention by the English and Germans. Asparagus finally made its way to the new world in about 1850.

Today China is the largest producer of commercial asparagus, followed by Mexico and California. Planted in sandy soil about a foot deep, this flower is not harvested until its third year, allowing the root system to fully develop. Once established, asparagus crowns will produce for six to seven weeks each spring, and will have a productive life of about 15 years. Under ideal conditions, a crown can produce a ten inch spear in a 24 hour period. The outdoor temperature determines how quickly the spears will shoot up. Asparagus can also be found growing wild, many times being found in the same places as wild mushrooms and morels.

Our local market has been offering asparagus for .88¢ a pound, which means I get to make a soup!

Creamy Asparagus Soup

The subtle flavor of tender asparagus is the star of the cream soup.

Course Soup

Cuisine French

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings 6

Author Christoph

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh asparagus
1 large onion, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 - 6 cups chicken stock, (or vegetable stock)
½ cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Instructions

Cut tips from about 12 asparagus 1½ inches from top and reserve for garnish. Cut the remaining asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.
Cook onion with 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy 4-quart pot over moderately low heat, until translucent. Add asparagus pieces and dash of salt and pepper, sauté about 5 minutes.
Add 5 cups chicken stock, cover and cook until asparagus until it is very tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
While the soup simmers, blanch reserved asparagus tips in lightly salted boiling water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain. Shock tips in cold water to stop cooking and preserve color.
Purée the soup in several small batches with an immersion blender or in a regular blender. Use caution if using a standard blender. Fill the blender no more than half full, and hold the lid on tight using a towel! Hot liquids will expand when blended.
Strain liquid through a fine mesh sieve to remove any remaining fibers. Return soup to pan over medium heat . Stir in creme, then add more broth to thin soup to desired consistency.
Bring soup to a boil and whisk in remaining tablespoon butter. Add lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with asparagus tips.

Notes

This soup is also delicious as a cold dish!

Wild asparagus is usually discovered after the fern like fronds appear. Hunters mark areas to return to in the spring in hopes of harvesting the fresh spears.

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