Springing forward

Happy first day of spring!

The most vernal of vegetables, asparagus, nestled in the tastiest of cheeses (fontina and gruyere), spread on the puffiest of pastry, accompanied by a soft-boiled egg [the breakfastlunchdinner breakthrough of 2012].  Hello, spring.

photo via (by Kana Okada)

Asparagus and Cheese Tart (Food Network Magazine, April 2012)

1 pound asparagus, trimmed

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (about 1/2 pound), thawed

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1 cup grated fontina cheese (about 3 ounces)

1 cup grated comte or gruyere cheese (about 3 ounces)

1 tablespoon minced shallot

2 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons whole milk

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring about 1 inch of water to a boil in a large skillet. Add the asparagus; cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Drain and transfer to the ice water to stop the cooking; drain and pat dry. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Roll out the puff pastry into a 10-by-16-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Bake until light golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet.

Meanwhile, mix the fontina, comte, shallot, egg yolks, milk, nutmeg and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a bowl until combined. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the puff pastry, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Toss the asparagus with the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Arrange the asparagus on the tart and bake until the cheese mixture is slightly puffy, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the lemon zest. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Spring is like a perhaps hand
by E. E. Cummings
III Spring is like a perhaps hand (which comes carefully out of Nowhere)arranging a window,into which people look(while people stare arranging and changing placing carefully there a strange thing and a known thing here)and changing everything carefully spring is like a perhaps Hand in a window (carefully to and fro moving New and Old things,while people stare carefully moving a perhaps fraction of flower here placing an inch of air there)and without breaking anything.     What are your spring plans? Changing everything carefully - or seismically?