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An ideal brunch dish: crisp in texture, the pastry is filled with subtle flavours that come together harmoniously in a creamy sauce.
Prep
time: 30 minutes plus 20 min chilling
Total cooking time: 25 minutes
Makes 6; Serves 2 or 3 as main dish
18 asparagus spears, trimmed
12 oz block frozen puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup whipping cream
8 oz button or oyster mushrooms, thickly sliced
melted butter, for brushing
May be prepared in an hour in the morning, or you may prefer the "night before" routine:
The night before
1. Thaw puff pastry (2 hours on counter; overnight in fridge)
2. Roll thawed puff pastry to 8x12-inch rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Trim
to square edges, the cut into two 4x12 slices. Cut each slice into three, 4x3
pieces. Place each on damp cookie sheet and chill for 20 minutes.
3. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add asparagus and boil for 4 minutes.
Remove to ice water. Drain and set aside (place on ovenproof dinner plate; cover
with inverted plate).
4. Preheat oven to 400F. Brush tops of chilled pastries with butter (do not
brush sides). Lightly score tops with sharp knife into diamond pattern. Bake
for about 10 to 15 minutes, till golden and risen. Cover lightly and set aside
overnight.
In the morning (10 minutes).
5. Preheat oven to 250F and melt a little butter for brushing, later. Slice
pastries in half horizontally; scoop out and discard any loose dough. Place
covered asparagus and uncovered pastries in oven to warm.
6. In medium saucepan, melt 1/4 cup of butter, add flour and whisk for one minute.
Whisking briskly continuously, add milk, bring to boil, and simmer 2 minutes.
Add cream and stir over heat another minute.
7. Meanwhile, melt butter in large saucepan, add mushrooms and cook 2 minutes
or until done.
8. Remove warmed asparagus from oven. Cut off top 2-1/2 inches from each spear
and set aside. Chop remaining stalks into 1/2 inch slices and add to mushrooms.
Stir briefly over heat and then stir mushrooms and asparagus into cream mixture.
(Salt and pepper to taste, if desired.)
9. Remove pastries from oven and spoon mixture evenly onto each bottom. Lay
three asparagus tips on top, brush with melted butter, replace tops and return
to warm oven for 5 minutes to warm through.
We serve with cherry tomatoes, rolled in a spoonful of olive oil, salted and peppered, and baked in a pie plate for 10 minutes in the warm oven, for a vegetarian breakfast.
Rog & Jim
Toronto Downtown Bed and Breakfast
www.TDBAB.com
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