For the past few weeks I have been fine-tuning a recipe for asparagus and mushroom tarts for a spring dinner class I am teaching this month. After many attempts, I finally came up with a winning combination, using thin asparagus spears and shiitake mushrooms.
For the filling, I sautéed the thinly sliced mushrooms in butter until lightly browned, then combined them with the spears, which were cut into 1-inch pieces but not cooked. For seasonings, tarragon and lemon zest added bright, fresh notes, while a little crème fraîche and grated Gruyère helped bind the mixture. The filling was spooned into puff pastry squares, made conveniently with purchased dough.
These elegant tarts look as if they take far more effort to assemble than the work required. Count on 15 minutes to prep and assemble the filling, and another 5 for cutting out the pastry squares. Both the squares and the filling can be prepared several hours ahead so that at serving time you will need only to spoon the asparagus and mushroom melange onto the pastries, then bake them for 20 minutes.
I am planning to serve these tarts as a first course, but they would also make a great entree for a special-occasion brunch or luncheon. Adding a green salad, a platter of sliced smoked salmon or prosciutto results in a chic midday menu.
These tarts also can be offered as appetizers. Just cut each tart (a single recipe yields four tarts) into four equal squares, arrange these bite-size portions on a platter, and serve with chilled white wine.
Betty Rosbottom is a cooking school director and author of "Big Book of Backyard Cooking,"
