Asparagus Puff Ring Recipes

ASPARAGUS PUFF RING

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour and salt all at once; stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each; beat until smooth. Stir in 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. , Using 1/4 cupfuls of dough, form a ring around the sides of a greased 10-in. quiche pan or pie plate (mounds should touch). Top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes., Meanwhile, cook asparagus in a small amount of water for 3-4 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. , In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually add milk; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; add cheeses and stir until melted. , Stir in ham and asparagus; spoon into ring. Serve immediately.

CHEF JOHN'S ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
• Lay puff pastry out on the prepared baking sheet. Fold edges up to create a 1/2-inch wide border. Prick inside base of dough completely with a fork.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and puffed, about 10 minutes. Press puffed center down with the back of a fork to deflate.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook uncovered until bright green, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander and immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Drain.
• Stir mustard, creme fraiche, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl; spread into the bottom of the cooled tart shell. Lay asparagus spears, trimming as necessary to fit the tart shell, in the center of the tart on top of the mustard spread. Brush melted butter over the asparagus and crust and sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top.
• Bake in the oven until pastry is browned and asparagus is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

CHICKEN ASPARAGUS PUFFS

Steps:

• In a food processor, blend together the cooked chicken, mayonnaise, garlic, curry and seasoned salt until smooth, then season with black pepper to taste (this can be prepared in advance and refrigerated).
• Roll out puff pastry into a rectangle shape (10x14-in).
• Then lengthwise into three even strips of pastry.
• Spread chicken mixture along one side of each strip of pastry.
• Place asparagus spears lengthwise beside chicken mixture.
• Brush edges of pastry with egg.
• Roll pastry over to close completely.
• Brush top with egg.
• Cut rolls diagonally into 1-inch slices with a sharp knife.
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Place on a greased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Delicious!

ASPARAGUS PUFF PIZZA

Steps:

• Place asparagus in a steamer basket over 1 in. of boiling water in a saucepan; cover and steam until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towel. , Place crust on an ungreased 12-in. pizza pan; arrange asparagus on top. In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, cheese and mustard; mix well. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into mayonnaise mixture; spread over asparagus. , Bake at 450° for 12-13 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into wedges; serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.

ASPARAGUS WITH GORGONZOLA CHEESE WRAPPED IN PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Take 3 sheets and butter the first then lay the 2nd on top, then butter the 2nd sheet, and then lay the 3rd sheet on top Now slice the sheet in 2 1/2 inch strips, cut each strip 4 inches. Each strip should be 4 inches long by 2 1/2 inches wide.
• Take the asparagus that has been trimmed and steamed, al dente, and place on the cut puff pastry, now brush with a little melted butter and then put a teaspoon full of cheese on it.
• Now wrap the pastry over the asparagus as in a roll. It's ok if the tip and end sticks out; seal the pastry with melted butter and put in a plastic container till ready to use and freeze.
• When ready to use, put on a greased cookie sheet and put in the oven on the middle rack or in a toaster oven. Bake in the oven on high heat till the pastry turns golden color and the cheese starts to ooze out the ends. Don't over bake or they will burn.
• Note: The reason I have put the ingredients at one each is so you can make as little or as much as you want, just follow the amount for each item how many you want to make.

ASPARAGUS APPETIZERS

Steps:

• Trim crusts from bread, and flatten slightly with a rolling pin.
• In a bowl, stir blue and cream cheeses together with the egg until well blended and creamy. Spread a thin layer of cheese mixture over each slice of bread. Roll one asparagus spear inside each, and fasten with a toothpick.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan. Roll each asparagus wrap in butter to coat. Place on a baking sheet small enough to fit into the freezer, and freeze for one hour, or until butter hardens and wraps are somewhat firm. Remove pan from freezer, discard toothpicks, and cut each wrap in half crosswise. Store in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer until ready to use.
• To serve, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
• Arrange frozen asparagus wraps on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Check occasionally, and turn if necessary, for even browning and to prevent burning. Enjoy!

ASPARAGUS PASTRY PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a large skillet, bring 1-1/2 in. of water to a boil. Add asparagus; cook, uncovered, 1-3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus and immediately drop into ice water. Drain and pat dry., In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper until blended. Unfold puff pastry sheets; cut each sheet in half to make a total of four rectangles. Spread each rectangle with a fourth of the cream cheese mixture to within 1/4 in. of edges. Arrange asparagus over top, allowing tips to show at each end; roll up jelly-roll style. Using a serrated knife, cut each roll crosswise into four sections., Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down. In a small bowl, whisk egg with water until blended; brush lightly over tops., Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack; serve warm.

ASPARAGUS IN PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• In a large nonstick skillet, bring water to a boil. Add asparagus; cover and cook for 3 minutes. Drain asparagus and immediately place in ice water; drain and pat dry. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and salt until smooth; set aside., Unfold the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut each sheet in half widthwise. For each rectangle, spread cream cheese mixture lengthwise over half of the dough to within 1/2 in. of edges. Arrange two rows of three asparagus spears lengthwise in a single layer over cream cheese., Brush edges of dough with some of the egg substitute; fold dough over filling and press edges together to seal. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour., Cut widthwise into 1-1/4-in. pieces. Place 1 in. apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush with remaining egg substitute. Bake at 425° for 8-12 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

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.