Hollandaise Asparagus Tart Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Trim the woody ends from the asparagus. Spread the spears in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roll to coat thoroughly. Roast the asparagus until lightly browned and tender, about 10 minutes, giving the pan a good shake about halfway through.
• Meanwhile, put the egg yolk, lemon juice, and cayenne in a blender. Pulse a couple times to combine.
• Put the butter in a small microwave proof bowl and heat in a microwave until just melted. With the blender running, gradually add the melted butter into the egg to make a smooth frothy sauce. If the sauce is really thick blend in a teaspoon of lukewarm water to loosen it up. Season with the salt and serve immediately or keep warm in a small heat-proof bowl set over hot (but not simmering) water until ready to serve.
• Spread the roasted asparagus on a serving platter. Grind a generous amount of pepper over the top.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper and cayenne in the jar of a blender. Blend for 15 seconds. With the blender running, slowly pour the hot butter into the blender and blend for 30 seconds, until the sauce is thick. (You can leave it in the blender at room temperature for up to 1 hour. If it is made in advance, add 1 tablespoon hot tap water and blend for a few seconds before serving.)
• Break off the tough ends of the asparagus and, if they're thick, peel them. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, then toss to coat the asparagus completely. Spread the asparagus in a single layer and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast the asparagus for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender but still crisp.
• Pour the hollandaise sauce over the warm asparagus and serve.

Steps:

• TO COOK PASTRY SELLS:.
• Thaw 1 sheet of Puff Pastry Dough according to instructions on package. Preheat oven to 350°F Cut Puff Pastry into 1 inch rounds using a biscuit cutter. Place 1 inch rounds onto a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Cut an additional one inch round, an then use a smaller cutter to cur a ring out of your one inch ring. Lay this hollow ring on top of the first ring. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until Puff Pastries are browned.
• TO STEAM ASPARAGUS:.
• Choose thin stalks from the market. If your stalks are greater than 3/8 of an inch thick you may want to peel your asparagus. Place about 1/2 inch of water into a large skillet, and heat on high. Once the water boils, add asparagus, and reduce heat to simmer. Cook asparagus until it is tender (for thin stalks this should take about 15 minutes). (This sounds like an extremely long time to cook thin asparagus. Make sure this is correct.) Remove asparagus, and drain on paper towels. Cut cooked asparagus pieces just smaller than 1 inch.
• TO MAKE HOLLANDAISE SAUCE:.
• Melt the butter in the microwave in a glass dish. Let the butter begin to cool slightly, and skim off any foam, or solids that are on the top of the melted butter. Set up a double boiler, and whisk egg yolks and the water in a separate bowl until they are light and fluffy. Pour whisked egg yolks into the top portion of the double boiler. Whisk eggs continually while eggs are in the double boiler. They will begin to thicken slightly, and this will take 2 to 3 minutes. Begin to drizzle in warm melted butter slowly, and continue to whisk the egg and butter mixture. Once the butter is totally incorporated whisk whisk in lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. This sauce must be served within 30 minutes of making. Waiting longer than 30 minutes of making this sauce, you run the risk of this sauce breaking and separating, so be sure to serve this sauce promptly.
• TO ASSEMBLE TARTS:.
• Place two or three pieces of cut asparagus on the Puff Pastry, and spoon on about 2 teaspoons of the Hollandaise sauce just before serving. You may wish to garnish with a light sprinkle of Cayenne pepper.
• These are wonderful finger foods at a party or a Sunday morning brunch.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°.
• Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour and sugar in a food processor; pulse 3 times or until combined. Add shortening; pulse 6 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor on, add ice water through food chute, processing just until combined. Gently press mixture into a 6-inch circle on a lightly floured surface; roll dough into an 12-inch circle. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray; fold edges under, and flute. Pierce bottom and sides of dough with a fork; bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
• Reduce oven temperature to 375°.
• Snap off tough ends of asparagus; remove scales with a knife or vegetable peeler, if desired. Steam asparagus, covered, 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Rinse asparagus under cold water; drain well. Arrange asparagus spokelike in prepared crust with tips toward inside of crust. Combine milk, rind, juice, tarragon, salt, egg, and egg white; stir well with a whisk. Pour over asparagus; sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; let cool about 5 minutes. Put egg yolks in a blender. With motor running, gradually add butter. Add lemon juice and cayenne; season with salt and pepper. (Sauce should be thick but fluid enough to drizzle from a spoon, and should form a pool, not a mound. If too thick, thin with warm water.) Season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Sauce is best used immediately, but can be stored in a thermos about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring 1 inch salted water to a boil in a large straight-sided skillet. Add asparagus, in batches if needed to avoid crowding. Cook until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes; drain. Serve warm or room temperature, with sauce.