Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Goat Cheese, Asparagus & Mushroom Tart

On Why Easter Is Evil: I have eaten my weight in chocolate, and eggs, and chocolate eggs. In fact, I'm fairly sure I have chocolate trickling out of my ears, which is why I can't think of a thing to say about this pie. Tart. Whatever.

Goat Cheese, Asparagus & Mushroom Tart

The recipe comes from Epicurious, I only decreased the cream a bit and added some asparagus. And used my own crust recipe. It was very pretty straight out of the oven, which I took as a sign that I could wait with the pictures until just before brunch. This was a mistake, as it turned a bit... wrinkly in the meantime. (I was really just holding out hope-against-all-hope that the gale-like winds would ease up so I could go outside and take pictures without my fingers freezing off. In vain, as it turned out, but luckily some superglue rendered me ten-fingered anew.)

Goat Cheese, Asparagus & Mushroom Tart
adapted from Bon Appétit Nov/97

Goat Cheese, Asparagus & Mushroom Tart


100 g (3½ oz) of cold, lightly salted butter, cut into small cubes and then chilled
250 ml (generous 1 cup) all-purpose flour
3 tbsp ice-cold water

200 ml (6¾ fl oz) whipping cream
4 cloves garlic
½ tbsp dijon mustard
1 egg
200 g (7 oz) fresh asparagus
400 g (14 oz) shiitake mushrooms
salt & pepper
100 g (3½ oz) soft goat cheese

Put the flour in a bowl and top with the butter. With the tips of your fingers, work the butter into the flour until it's almost cohesive. Add the water and stir gently with a fork until the dough starts coming together (adding more water if needed). Dump the dough on a piece of clingfilm and bring it together with your hands to form a ball, then press down to a disc. Cover with the clingfilm and refrigerate overnight.

On a piece of lightly floured parchment paper, roll out the dough. Transfer to a 27-cm (10-inch) pie pan and chill while your oven heats to 175°C/350°F, then cover with tin foil and weigh down with beans. Bake for about 30 minutes, remove the tin foil and bake until the shell is pale golden.

Meanwhile, boil the cream and garlic until reduced to about ¾s; put through a blender to puree. Fry the shiitake in a dry pan until soft and the asparagus in some butter until al dente. Once the garlicky cream has cooled a bit, mix in the egg and dijon.

Once the shell is cooked and has cooled a bit, spread the goat cheese on the bottom. Sprinkle the shiitake on top of the cheese and arrange the asparagus on top of the shrooms. Spoon over the cream and bake until set, about 25 minutes.

15 comments:

Linda said...

all of my favorite things in a tart. i'm in love. i can't wait to try this!!!

Linda said...

p.s. this photograph is perfection.

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

I can think of plenty to say about this tart/whatever but if it were in front of me I'd be too busy eating it to say anything or take a picture! And I love the glass pan too!
Perfect!

Anonymous said...

That tart looks divine! I love savory tarts...especially if they have mushrooms :)

Vanessa said...

I like the simplicity of this. I have all these ingredients in my refrigerator and I think I just found dinner. Thanks.

Mia said...

Linda, it *was* yummy, but I think I would mix the goat cheese with the cream next time.

MyKitchenInHalfCups (Tanna, right?), I was *this* close to stealing the pan back home with me (no one bakes pies at the cottage except me anyway). Food blogging has turned me into the *worst* kitchen accessory hound.

Joey, I tend to prefer my shrooms in stir-frys and stews, but this was wonderful!

Vanessa, thanks! It's not exactly hassle-free (as I discovered when counting the pans I'd used, but that's just me being a ditz), but well worth it.

Meri, Helsinki said...

Kun en omista noita "papuja" pohjan painoksi, niin onko sinulla mitään vaihtoehtoista vinkkiä? Ajattelin kokeilla pitemmän kaavan pohjaasi viikonloppuna yhteen toiseen piiraaseen. :-)

Mia said...

Ylimuuli, hmmm... jos keittiössä sattuu olemaan ihan pikkasen pienempi vuoka kuin se jota käytät, niin se ajaa saman tehtävän (eli estää taikinan reunoja "valumasta" paisto-ajan alkumetreillä). Muuten ihan mikä vaan kuiva aines sopii varmaan yhtä hyvin (riisi, kuivat herneet, linssit), ja niitähän ei kannata heittää pois ensimmäisen käytön jälkeen - mulla käytössä on pussillinen kidneypapuja jotka olivat päässeet vanhentumaan. (Tiedä sitten laskettaisiinko sitä ruoan säästämiseksi, monenmoiset piiraat niillä on kuitenkin paistettu. :P) Kunhan pitää erillään ruoaksi tarkoitetuista samanlaisista...

Meri, Helsinki said...

No olipa valaisevaa, minä luulin että vain keraamiset versiot passaa. Hölmö olin :-D Tietysti vois mennä pieniä kiviäkin poimimaan... Vaan eiköhän kaapista jotain kelpoa löydy. Kiitos. Jeeeee.

Meri, Helsinki said...

Pohjasta tuli oikein onnistunut ja piirakka katosi tajuttoman nopeasti ruokailijoiden suihin. Täytettä siis hieman varioin. Itse päädyin sitten läjäyttämään elikkäs uhraamaan joulusta pussillisen puuroriisiä "painoksi", ja tottakai pistän säästöön. Siis onhan tuo ihan selkeää ruoan pelastamista, etenkin jos löytyy jotakin vanhaksi mennyttä hyödynnettävää. :-) Siis kiitos VINKISTÄ myös! Ja herkullisesta ateriasta :-P

Mia said...

Kiva että taikina toimi muuallakin kuin omassa keittiössäni! (Tai itse asiassa mökillä.) Ja piti aiemmin sanoa että itsekin jätin yhden jos toisenkin piirakkaohjeen kokeilematta kun ei ollut noista painoista hajuakaan ennenkuin jossain ohjeessa vinkattiin että Ihan Oikeatkin Pavut ajavat saman asian...

Anonymous said...

se ajaa saman tehtävän (eli estää taikinan reunoja "valumasta" paisto-ajan alkumetreillä). Muuten ihan mikä kuiva ypapuja jotka olivat päässeet vanhentumaan. (Tiedä sitten laskettaisiinko sitä ruoan säästämiseksi, monenmoiset piiraat niillä
Tulli

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