Asparagus Timbales Recipes

ASPARAGUS TIMBALE

Steps:

• Cut asparagus into 1 inch pieces. In a small frying pan, melt the butter and saute the scallion and asparagus for a few minutes until both are fairly soft. Place the mixture in the bottom of a well-oiled 1 quart casserole.
• In a bowl, beat the cheese, milk, salt and tarragon into the egg. Pour this mixture over the asparagus mixture in the casserole.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let cool for 10 minutes, then serve.

ELEGANT SPINACH TIMBALES

Steps:

• cook spinach according to package directions, drain.
• in a small mixer bowl beat eggs at medium speed until foamy (1 to 2 minutes).
• by hand stir in cooked spinach and remaining ingredients.
• divide mixture between 5 greased 6-oz custard cups. place custard cups on a rack in a 10inch skillet.
• add hot (not boiling) water to just below rack.
• cover, cook over medium heat for 18 to 22 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. if water begins to boil, reduce heat to low.
• meanwhile in a 1-qt saucepan melt 2 tablespoons butter.
• add flour, mustard, salt and pepper.
• cook over medium heat until smooth and bubbly (30sec).
• stir in milk, continue cooking, stirring occasionally until sauce comes to a full boil.
• stir in cheese until melted.
• loosen edges of timbales with knife, unmold, serve cheese sauce over timbales.

CHILLED ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH TIMBALE OF CAVIAR, CRAB AND AVOCADO

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus and stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until asparagus is tender, about 8 minutes. Add spinach, cover and simmer until wilted, about 4 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Transfer soup to large bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool, then cover and chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
• Mix crabmeat, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and shallot in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix avocado and remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice in another small bowl; mash coarsely. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place tomato can or biscuit cutter in center of 1 soup bowl. Spoon in 1 tablespoon avocado mixture; smooth top. Spoon in 1 tablespoon crab mixture; press lightly to compact. Spoon in 1 tablespoon avocado mixture. Top with 1 teaspoon caviar. Carefully lift off can. Repeat in remaining soup bowls with remaining timbale ingredients. Ladle soup around each timbale. Serve immediately.

WARM GOAT-CHEESE TIMBALES

Steps:

• Make timbales:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil ramekins and line bottoms with rounds of wax paper. oil paper.
• Blend goat cheese and butter in a food processor until smooth. Add remaining timbale ingredients and salt and pepper to taste, then blend well. Pour into ramekins, filling them about three-quarters full.
• Bake timbales in a water bath in middle of oven until pale golden and slightly puffed and a knife inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer ramekins to a rack and cool 10 minutes.
• Prepare salad:
• Whisk together lemon juice and shallot in a large bowl, then let stand 10 minutes. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until well blended. Season with salt and pepper, then toss with mesclun. Divide salad among individual plates.
• Run a knife around edge of each timbale to loosen, then invert each onto a salad. Remove paper from timbales and serve.

TIMBALE OF GRAINS WITH WILD MUSHROOMS, ASPARAGUS AND A SAUCE OF GOAT'S FETA

Steps:

• Separately rinse the grains, then cook barley, wheat berries and rices, each in a separate pot, starting in clean, cold water with aromatic herbs in each. Just prior to each grain becoming tender, season with salt and pepper.
• When just fully cooked pour any excess water from each pot and spread grains out on a shallow baking pan and cool quickly.
• Season and steep couscous in an equal volume of cold water or even better a combination of orange juice and water. Allow to rehydrate then rub grains between your hands to fluff them.
• Heat butter in large saute pan (preferably nonstick), and saute vegetables and garlic until tender.
• Season, add thyme, nuts and all the prepared grains and saute them together.
• Adjust seasoning.
• Meanwhile reduce vegetable stock and wine by 2/3. Add cream and bring to boil, reduce slightly. Add cheese and melt to thicken. Season and add thyme.
• Season (you may not need any salt depending on the feta you are using, but freshly cracked pepper in the sauce is a must).
• Shape the hot grains in a timbale mold. Pour the sauce around. Accompany with a saute of asparagus spears (start with approximately 1 pound, trimmed and blanched) and mixed wild mushrooms (again, start with a scant pound, trimmed and cut into different shapes).
• Garnish with herb sprigs.

VEGETABLE TIMBALES

Steps:

• Preheat oven broiler. Cut peppers in half and remove seeds and membranes. Place, skin side up, on baking sheet under hot broiler, until skin blackens and blisters. Cool and peel away skin.
• Steam the carrots until they are soft. Drain.
• Wash watercress and put in sauce pan with just the water clinging to the leaves. Cover pan and steam watercress for 2 minutes. Drain, cool and squeeze dry with your hands.
• Puree each vegetable individually in food processor, adding a third of the cream to the carrots to make a smooth puree.
• Pour the pepper puree into a small sauce pan and stir over moderate heat until thickened.
• Put each puree into its own bowl to cool. Divide remaining cream between pepper and watercress purees.
• Butter 4 timbale molds. Preheat oven to 325°F
• Stir 2 egg yolks into each puree. Divide last yolk between watercress and pepper purees. Season each with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
• Divide carrot puree equally among timbale molds. Smooth the surface. Repeat with watercress puree. Smooth surface and repeat with pepper puree.
• Put the molds in a roasting pan and pour hot water around molds, about half-way up sides of molds.
• Bake 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
• Remove molds from pan and cool slightly on wire rack.
• To serve, hold plate on top of each timbale and then turn it upside down. Give the plate and timbale a sharp shake and timbale should release itself.
• Serve warm with salad and baguette.

THIMBLES WITH MUSHROOMS AND ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Place the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms have cooked down, about 10 minutes. Add the Marsala and continue cooking until almost all the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Stir in remaining salt. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and add it into the mushrooms, Marsala and onions Add the artichoke hearts, Parmesan and cream and cook until the artichokes are heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.