Asparagus and Gruyère Tart

Adapted from Gourmet, March 2001. Asparagus is the essence of spring. Enjoy this tart with a green salad for lunch. It is also a perfect addition to a spring brunch menu.

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Ingredients:

• Black Pepper and Sour Cream Pastry Dough (must chill a total of 1½ hours) — recipe following
• 1 lb asparagus, trimmed to 5 inches
• 1/2 tsp Fleur de Sel sea salt plus additional for cooking asparagus
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 oz finely shredded Comte Gruyère cheese, about 1 cup

Directions:

Roll out pastry dough on a floured surface into a 13-inch round. Transfer to a 1-inch deep, 11-inch tart pan (with a removable bottom) and press to fit. Trim edge even with tart pan. Prick bottom of shell all over and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375º F. Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake in the middle of the oven until sides are firm, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights carefully and bake until golden, about 10 minutes more, then cool.

Blanch asparagus in boiling salted water until tender, about 1-2 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Drain immediately and place in ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.

Whisk together cream, eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, nutmeg, then season lightly with pepper. Pour custard evenly in tart shell. Sprinkle custard with 2/3 of the cheese, then arrange asparagus spears in the custard, tips out (like spokes of a wheel). Sprinkle remaining cheese over top.

Bake tart in the middle of the oven until custard is set, about 25-30 minutes. Broil tart 2-3 inches from heat until golden, 1-2 minutes. Makes 6-8 servings

Per serving: 582 calories; 70% calories from fat; 45g total fat; 27g saturated fat; 250mg cholesterol; 579mg sodium; 31g total carbohydrates; 15g protein

Black Pepper and Sour Cream Pastry Dough

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3/4 tsp sugar
• 7 ozs (14 tablespoons) cold, unsalted butter, cut into bits
• 3 Tbsp sour cream
• 3 Tbsp ice water

Directions:

Blend together flour, salt, pepper, sugar, and butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with remainder in small (pea-sized) lumps.

Stir together sour cream and ice water, then stir into dough with a fork until incorporated. Gather dough into a ball. Flatten dough into a 6-inch square on a lightly floured surface. Roll out into an 18x6-inch rectangle and fold into thirds (like a letter) to form a 6-inch square. Turn dough so an open-ended side is nearest you, then roll out dough into an 18x6-inch rectangle again, dusting work surface with flour as necessary. Fold into thirds same as above. Repeat rolling and folding one more time, then chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least one hour. Dough may be chilled for up to one day. Makes enough for an 11-inch tart pan.