Spring Garlic and Asparagus Tart

Garlic is one of the mainstays of my diet.  I will eat it any time of the day, any day of the year.  I can eat slow roasted garlic like candy and have been known to snack on fried slivers of garlic, which are served sprinkled on gado-gado and soto ayam.  Despite my fondness for this member of the onion family, I also recognize that sometimes restraint is called for.  I don't believe that if a dish tastes good with two cloves of garlic, that it will taste twice as good with four.  Subtlety is a good thing.

Spring garlic is subtle.  There is no harsh bite to it, no overpowering funk.  It has a delicate scent and taste that even people who don't appreciate garlic's allure acknowledge.  Paired with asparagus from the Sacramento delta, spring garlic adds a touch of refinement to a simple tart.  With a yeasted crust and a light custard filling accented with orange zest, this was a refreshing tart for Easter brunch.

The crust for this tart comes from Fields of Greens.  It's a dough that is easy to make, easy to work with, and that goes well with a custard type of filling.  I previously posted the recipe here.

Asparagus and Spring Garlic Tart
(adapted from Fields of Greens)

1 recipe yeasted tart dough
2 Tbs oil (preferably olive oil, but canola would also work)
4 to 5 spring garlic stalks, with heads, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/2 pound of asparagus, sliced into 1-inch lengths on the diagonal
salt and pepper
1 TBS chopped Italian parsley
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
zest of 1 orange, minced
2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 375º.
Line the tart pan with the dough.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and saute the garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper.  After the garlic has softened (about 3 to 4 minutes), add the asparagus and cook until tender, another 7 minutes or so.  Transfer to a bowl and add the parsley along with salt and pepper to taste.  Allow the mixture to cool.

Beat the eggs with the half-and-half, the orange zest, and few pinches of salt and pepper.

Spread the cheese over the bottom of the tart.  Spread the garlic and asparagus on top of the cheese and then pour the custard over.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custard is set.

I'm submitting this recipe to Weekend Wokking, a world-wide food blogging event created by Wandering Chopsticks to celebrate the multiple ways we can cook one ingredient. The host this month's roundup is me.  Look for it this Wednesday, April 7.  The host for next month is Sweatha of Tasty Curry Leaf. To see who is hosting in months ahead go to Who's Hosting.