My Tiny PlotAsparagus and Gruyere Tart
I don’t grow Asparagus. When I first got the keys to mtp I was convinced that I wouldn’t have the plot long enough to warrant planting Asparagus. Plus I’m pretty impatient, and waiting two years before getting a crop seemed like way too much forward planning for me in my veg growing infancy. Boy do I regret that decision! If I had planted one-year-old crowns in my first year I could be cooking this recipe with my own, home-grown, lovingly picked Asparagus. Instead, I’m working with Morrison’s finest. Ah well…
Asparagus and Gruyere Tart
Ingredients
- 1 pack of Ready Rolled puff pastry (okay I’m lazy)
- bundle of fresh Asparagus (Delia says British is best)
- Around 200g of Gruyere cheese
- flour, butter, milk, bay leaf (for white sauce)
- Parmesan for topping
Method:
- Roll out pastry to a square. Score around the edge of the tart 1 inch from the edge
- Arrange Asparagus in neat rows within the inner square
- Bake for around 10 minutes until the edges of the tart have started to rise
- Meanwhile make the white sauce by whisking all the ingredients for the sauce in a small pan
- Chop the Gruyere cheese and add to the sauce. Stir until melted
- Pour the sauce over the Asparagus and cook in a medium oven until the top is brown
- Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the finished tart
…which is why when I got my plot in october last year I ordered 2 vars and planted them in feb this year. ‘Well prepared’ and ‘weed free’ are daunting thoughts for a new plot owner but the asparagus is now growing and for this year is interplanted (sparsely) with tomatoes, alpine strawbs and marigolds….
This sounds delicious. I will be trying it soon.
I know what you mean mtp, I’ve had my plot for a few years now and never thought I could wait for asparagus to be pickable! This year however I’ve gone and done it and planted a row of ten 1 year old crowns from http://www.asparagus-in-kent.co.uk, they’ve ferned up really quickly in the warm weather and I shall be harvesting this time next year for three weeks! That really doesn’t seem too far away! Yippee!!!!! After that it’s full blown harvesting for the next 20 years or so !!! So if you have space please plant some crowns cos time doesn’t half fly doesn’t it?
20 years of harvesting (and 20 years of Asparagus and Gruyère Tart) sounds fantastic doesn’t it? That picture is absolutely mouth watering. I’m a big fan of fondue with Gruyère so that tart must be delicious!
I bought some asparagus crowns this year but forgot to plant them. They’re just sitting in a my garage. Hope it’s not too late
I too felt exactly the same as you when I got my plot 5 years ago, with Asparagus and other high cost long-term crops e.g. fruit bushes, trees. And like you I’ve been regretting it, so this year I purchased 10 wild asparagus crowns, a grape vine, goosberry bush, redcurrant bush and tayberry. I’m also hoping to get hold of a bluberry bush. I think it’s one thing I’d say to beginners, see how you get on for the first season, but once you’ve fallen in love with growing your own, just go for it with the asparagus etc because chances are if you’ve lasted a year you will definitely be around to harvest at least the first crop.
The tart sounds yummy, so I shall be trying it soon, but it will have to be with shop bought asparagus too.
Right – that’s it. Asparagus is going in. I’ll have to wait now until next April to plant it though – right?
No, it’s not too late! If you go for it now – like, immediately – you can still get the crowns in.
Putting in the asparagus was the best thing I’ve ever done at my plot. Sure, the wait was a bit painful, but I’m reaping the rewards this year… in spades. We are now SICK of asparagus, and what kind of a luxury is it to be able to say that?!