Chargrilled Asparagus, Goat's Cheese, Leek and Tarragon Tart

Ingredients

  • shortcrust pastry

Goat's Curd Filling

  • 50g butter
  • 2 leeks (white parts only), washed and finely sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 200g soft Goat’s cheese (eg. chevre)
  • 125ml (½ cup) creme fraiche
  • ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan
  • ¼ cup chopped tarragon
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Char grilled asparagus

  • 300g Asparagus, trimmed
  • 60ml (¼ cup) Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

 

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and lightly grease a 20cm x 30cm rectangular tart tin with removable base.
  2. Carefully line the tart tin with pastry, so that it sits 1cm above the top of the tin (to allow for shrinkage). To help strengthen and support the sides create several pleats in the pastry, to prevent the sides from collapsing. To do this, simply press any loose pastry around the top edge together. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile for the filling melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the leeks and garlic, stirring to combine. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until soft and tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  4. To blind bake the pastry case, line the pastry case with baking paper or foil. Cover paper with baking beans or a dried pulse (eg. chickpeas) and fill to top of tart shell, to help support the sides and weigh the base down during cooking.
  5. Place tart tin on a baking tray in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove tart tin from oven, check pastry is lightly golden around the edges before removing beans and baking paper. Return tart tin to oven and cook for a further 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, reducing heat to 160°C (140°C fan-forced).
  6. To make the filling place the eggs, chevre, creme fraiche, parmesan, tarragon, salt and pepper, in a food processor and process until well combined. Stir in the cooked leeks until well combined. Pour into prepared tart shell and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove tart from oven, allow to cool.
  7. Meanwhile toss asparagus with half the olive oil and cook in batches on a char-grill pan over medium-high heat. Place cooked asparagus in a medium bowl, add remaining olive oil, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, tossing to combine.
  8. To serve, scatter cooked asparagus over the tart.