Asparagus Tart with Smoked Salmon

By: Peggy Fallon


  • Yield: 6 Servings
  • Cuisine: French
  • Course: Lunch


Ingredients

  • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Dill Weed
  • 3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper, coarsely ground
  • 1 stick Unsalted Butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 8 ounce Asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Kosher Salt
  • Black Pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
  • 4 ounces Smoked Salmon, thinly sliced, divided
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • 2 Large Eggs

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 9.5-inch loose base tart pan with no-stick cooking spray (if the pan is nonstick, do not use cooking spray).
  2. To make the pastry: In a food processor, combine the flour, dill, salt, and pepper. Process briefly to mix. Add the butter and process, pulsing the machine on and off, until the mixture forms coarse crumbs and begins to hold together. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead a few times until smooth. Using your fingertips, press the dough evenly around the sides and over the bottom of the prepared tart pan. (If the dough becomes soft, freeze for a few minutes until firm.) Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake until golden at the edges, 20 to 22 minutes. Do not turn off the oven. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to let the pastry shell cool.
  3. In a large pan or another baking sheet, toss the asparagus with the oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake just until the asparagus turns bright green, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
  4. Brush the bottom of the pastry shell with the mustard and top with an even layer of asparagus.
  5. Chop enough of the smoked salmon to equal 1/4 cup, and scatter over the asparagus. Reserve the remaining sliced salmon for serving.
  6. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream, eggs, and 3/4 teaspoon salt until well blended; then gently pour over the asparagus and salmon. With the tart still on its baking sheet, bake until the filling is set in the center, about 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. To serve, remove the fluted ring from the tart pan. Cut the reserved smoked salmon into strips and arrange decoratively over the top of the tart. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.