I get excited every year without fail when English asparagus finally makes its appearance in the market and on the shelves – its brief season signals the true beginning of Spring and heralds the promise of a bountiful Summer ahead. Eating seasonally doesn’t get much better than this – English Asparagus Tart with Truffle Mustard, Tarragon and Brie!
Asparagus Tart - Spring in a Tin!
Author: Life is Delicious
Recipe type: Main
A delicious Spring tart filled with asparagus, truffle mustard, tarragon and brie
Ingredients
- A loose bottomed flan dish - the one I used measures 12cm x 36cm
- One sheet ready rolled shortcrust pastry
- 250g asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off
- 75g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped
- 1tsp Maille Celeriac and Truffle mustard
- 3 free range eggs
- 150ml single cream
- about 50g Somerest brie, thinly sliced
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Grease the tin thoroughly with butter or margarine.
- Lay the pastry sheet into the tin and press into the sides.
- Cut off the excess with a knife and then press the pastry in again so that it rises up above the tin slightly to allow for shrinkage.
- Put the case into the freezer to chill.
- Remove the case from the freezer (the colder the better, frozen is fine!)
- Line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans
- Cook at 180° for 10 minutes then remove the paper and beans and cook for a further 10 minutes until the pastry case is set and golden.
- Meanwhile make the filling.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan
- Gently fry the shallot and mushrooms for 5 minutes
- Add the garlic and fry for a further minute
- Cook the asparagus spears in boiling water for about 3 minutes or until just tender
- Cool under running water and cut in half, keeping the tips to one side
- Chop the remaining asparagus stems into dice and add to the mushroom mixture
- Whisk together the cream, eggs and mustard, stir in the tarragon, add salt and pepper to taste
- Increase the oven temperature to 200°C
- Spoon the mushroom/asparagus mixture into the cooked case
- Top with slices of brie
- Pour over the egg/cream/mustard mix
- Top with the reserved asparagus spears
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 - 30 minutes until golden on top
I make this tart every Spring, this year I was sent some Maille Celeriac and Truffle Mustard to try and it added a depth of flavour which really improved the dish. Serve with buttery new season’s Jersey Royal potatoes and a rocket salad drizzled with a little olive oil and some Maille aged balsamic vinegar. Delicious!
The post Asparagus Tart – Spring in a Tin! appeared first on Life Is Delicious.
