This asparagus flan recipe is delicious hot or cold and makes a great centre piece for a picnic.
Ingredients
(Serves 4)
• Enough shortcrust pastry to line an 8 inch flan dish
• 150 ml double cream
• 2 eggs
• 150g Cheddar cheese
• 100g Red Leicester or Gruyere cheese
• 200g green asparagus
• 3 spring onions trimmed and sliced and lightly fried in butter until soft
• Handful fresh parsley or chives, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 190 C / Gas Mark 5 / 375 F. Roll out the pastry and line an 8 inch flan tin.
If you want, you can bake it blind. Cover pastry with a sheet of grease-proof paper and then fill with baking beads or equivalent. Bake for 15 minutes.
2. Wash the asparagus thoroughly to remove any grit and chop into 5cm chunks.
3. Steam lightly for 3 minutes, then drain well.
4. Grate the cheeses.
5. Beat together the cream and the eggs. Add the herbs, salt and pepper, with the nutmeg and mustard (if using).
6. Put half of each cheese into the cream mixture.
7. Arrange the asparagus spears and spring onions in the flan dish and pour the cream mixture on top. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Bake for about 35 minutes (this depends on your oven), until the egg mixture is risen and set.
Time From Cupboard-To-Table
About 1 hour
Categories: recipes, seasonal eating, vegetarian
