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A Different Approach To Asparagus
An Easter meal always heralds Spring, even in the dreary doldrums of March. When it is gray, cold, rainy, nothing is more hopeful than perusing through books for my first celebration of the next seasons – the one with sunshine, flowers, and extra daylight,
I think the golden decade for Gourmet Magazine stretched from 1986 through 1996. This appetizer appeared in one of their delightful seasonal centerfolds in the 1997 cookbook, which features recipes from the previous year. I struggled to organize and catalog all the issues I had subscribed to, going so far as to bind all the same months for 15 years in separate notebooks. In the long run, it did not work out well. But I deserve brownie points for putting them all into recycling. I then collected just the yearly books that were produced from 1985 through 2006, when I finally gave up my subscription. Both my husband and I love wandering through all these retrospective cookbooks from Gourmet. It makes for relaxing reading, getting inspired by the photos and occasionally discovering a recipe for which we already have the ingredients!
Kudos to Gail Zeigenthal, the Executive Food Editor. for an incredibly rich period of inspiring dishes, including this one. Everyone who has come to our Easter meal has loved this recipe for a first course featuring local asparagus.
- 2 pounds asparagus
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (2oz)
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (1/2 oz)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- Preheat oven to 350F and butter six 3/4 cup (6oz) souffle cups or other similar molds.
- Line bottoms of molds with parchment paper circles and butter the paper.
- In a baking dish large enough to hold the six molds, place a double layer of kitchen towels. This will keep the molds from floating.
- Snap off the ends of the asparagus stalks, cut off tips and halve them lengthwise
- Peel stalks and cut them into one inch pieces..
- In a steamer rack, over simmering water, steam the halved asparagus tips, covered, until just crisp-tender, about one minute.
- Transfer tips to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
- Drain tips and pat dry.
- Steam asparagus stalks covered, until tender but still bright green - about eight minutes.
- Transfer them to paper towels and pat dry.
- In a blender, puree stalks, cream, tarragon, 3 tablespoons butter, Parmesan and salt until smooth.
- In a bowl, whisk eggs until thoroughly combined, then add the puree in a stream, whisking until smooth.
- Divide mixture among your molds.and place them on the towels in the baking pan.
- Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the molds and bake for 30-40 minutes.
- Remove the molds from the oven when a thin knife inserted into the center of flans comes out clean.
- Allow flans to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding them onto small plates
- In the meantime, heat the remaining butter in a small pan and gently warm the asparagus tips..
- Top the flans with the warm, buttered asparagus tips. Serve immediately.
- I found that the kitchen towels were not needed with my Pillivuyt porcelain molds as they did not float. Ceramic or silicone molds will give you a creamier edge than metal ones. You can make these ahead and them reheat them gently in a water bath.
After owning one of the best cooking stores in the US for 47 years, Nancy Pollard writes a blog about food in all its aspects – recipes, film, books, travel, superior sources and food related issues.
