Freelance Friday: Asparagus and Chevre Tart

So, I thought I'd start this thing. Well, actually, I was asked to start this thing, where I spend my Friday freelancin' in my own kitchen. It's a little something for both of us to share. I'll go first... Then you show me how it went for you... okay?

Today I finally made the tart I've been planning on making since Sunday. Most people would call this a quiche, and it basically is. I call it a tart because I make a thinner version in a 1" tart pan instead of a 2 1/2" pie dish. Either way works out just fine, but my recipe won't fill a pie dish.
























Tarts are one of those things that have endless possibilities. From the simplest combinations of Swiss cheese and wilted spinach to roasted sweet corn and Dungeness crab. Start with a good crust, always use fresh eggs and cream and get creative!

Asparagus and Chevre Tart
serves 4-6

1c Heavy cream
1c 2% milk
5 Farm fresh eggs
1c Asparagus (chopped on bias)
4 Slices thick cut bacon
1/4c Chopped scallions
1/4c Chevre (fresh, soft goat cheese)
1/2t Salt
Fresh ground pepper
Fresh grated nutmeg

One batch pate brisee

Prepare pate brisee, allow to chill for one hour before rolling.
Combine cream, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a heavy bottom sauce pan, just till simmering, turn off immediately. In a blender, pure eggs, then slowly incorporate cream mixture, this will be your tart custard.
Roll out dough and arrange in a tart pan, blind bake with pie weights at 350 for 15 min.(I use a layer of parchment fitted snugly against dough, filled with dried beans, works great!). Remove pie weights and prick bottom of tart with a fork, return to oven for 5 min.
While baking your tart shell, chop bacon into bite-size pieces and crisp up in a hot pan, place on paper towel when crisp to cool and drain fat.
When shell is finished, you can start adding your fillings. Layer in the asparagus, scallions and bacon, then crumble chevre evenly over top. Carefully pour in custard to fill. Bake at 350 for 40-50 min, or until evenly puffed and browned.

Let me know how yours turns out!

My cinnamon fetish

Have I mentioned this? Have you heard? Yes, it's true. I have, as of late, a complete infatuation with all things cinnamon. I recently stayed up until 12:30 in the a.m just to make cinnamon rolls (thank you Orangette for the inspiration).

Cinnamon, I want you on and in everything, especially if there's butter or maple syrup for you to cozy up next to. A conjugal visit, of sorts, a blissful conjoining of spicy, creamy, sappy sweet love. I won't watch, I swear. But I promise I will lick the plate clean of you when your done. I just can't help myself, I'm crazed. Most women go bonkers over chocolate. Not me. Nope. I only have eyes for you, cinnamon.


Luckily, for me, it's pretty easy to get a four year old on board with having breakfast for dinner. Delighted in my new affair, I decided to conjure up a batch of baked french toast, laden with cinnamon, of course.
Along with cinnamon, french toast is something I've always had a crush on. It's my go to breakfast item whenever I have company, and a favorite when eating at greasy diners before noon, ya just can't go wrong. This is a recipe I've adapted from an America's Test Kitchen cookbook. Baking french toast brings a whole new purpose for maple syrup. They turn out fluffed and moist with a thin, sweet crunchy shell. It's never dry or too dense, which are both common issues with the traditional pan grilled style french toast. It's really the method I'm wanting to highlight here, the flavors and ingredients can easily be tweaked to please any palate. Just don't forget the CINNAMON!

Baked French Toast
serves 4 or so

8 slices of a hearty white bread or french bread
6 large brown eggs
3/4c cream(milk is ok if your looking for a lighter version)
1 1/2t cinnamon
7 grates or so of fresh nutmeg
1 T pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c grade b maple syrup
2 T light oil, safflower or canola

Set oven to 300. Arrange bread slices on a sheet pan and put in oven to dry, about 10 min. per side, this allows bread to soak up more of the egg batter without getting too soggy, set aside to cool about 4 min. before continuing.

Mix eggs, cream, vanilla, 1/2t cinnamon, nutmeg, salt in a shallow dish (a 13x9 Pyrex works well). Whisk well until fully incorporated. Two at a time, dip cooled bread into batter, turning to coat both sides, about a 20-30 second soak. Place battered bread on a cooling rack set inside a sheet pan, to allow all excess batter to drip off.
Meanwhile, crank the oven up to 425, spread oil on a sheet pan and set in oven to heat, just till oil starts to smoke, about 4 min. When pan has heated, arrange bread on sheet quickly, give each one a little giggle to spread oil underneath. Put in oven to cook first side for about 10 min.
At this point you'll want to mix brown sugar and remaining maple syrup and cinnamon in a bowl to make a nice crumbble topping for bread. After 10 min. remove bread, flip each slice over and top with crumble mix, place back in oven to finish, about 6-8 min more. Let toast cool for a few minutes before serving, I like to top each with a pad of butter while they're still hot.

These really don't need much more. You may find you want a slight drizzle of maple syrup over top, but the addition of the brown sugar crumble really adds a good kick of crunchy sweetness. These are the perfect candidate for a dollop of fresh tart yogurt, to balance out they're ambrosial maple topping.

Enjoy!