Asparagus Tomato Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Tart

This Saturday I picked up some more green asparagus at the market, I love asparagus season: just can't get enough of them!! The other day I didn't feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen, but I also didn't feel like ordering fast food. So I had a look at my fridge/freezer and decided to play with what I had on hand.

The oven was preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. I thawed some puff pastry sheets and rolled them out, I then scored a line about 1/2 inch from the edges of the puff pastry to get a nice rim after baking. Two tablespoons of pesto were spread onto the center of the puff pastry and then topped with halved cherry tomatoes (9 whole, 12 half tomatoes). This was baked for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile I washed 400 grams of asparagus and used pencil-thin ones, if they were thicker I halved them length-wise. I layered these on top of the puff pastry and sprinkled some salt and pepper over them. I topped the asparagus with slices of soft goat cheese and popped the tart back into the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes until the edges of the puff pastry is golden.

Doesn't it look delicious???

Here's a close-up for you!! Yum!! Serve this tart with a nice salad and it'll serve two.

Enjoy!!

CEiMB: Spinach, Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Pizza

Just a short post for now, just came back from the cinema: saw 'Avatar'. Wow!! What a movie!

Up above is my gorgeous pink bike, covered in the snow. I haven't seen this much snow since I live in this appartment... It's been like this since Christmas: crazy!

So, this is my first CEiMB-post in a while. I must admit it's great to be able to eat again and even better to be able to enjoy the things I eat again! This weeks recipe for Craving Ellie in My Belly was picked by Half Meatball/Half Matzoh Ball Children.




Argula was nowhere to be found at the supermarket, so I used spinach instead. I also added some yellow pepper I still had laying around in my fridge. The second time I made these I added a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to the veggies. This is another winner by Ellie: easy to put together in no time whatsoever and tasty too!! I will most definetely be making this one again!


The recipe can be found over at Half Meatball/Half Matzoh Ball Children and at Foodnetwork. Check out what my fellow Ellie-istas thought of the Arugula, Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Pizza here!

Risotto with Spinach, Roasted Peppers and Goat Cheese

After making the Garden Risotto for last weeks Craving Ellie in my Belly I really wanted to make some more risotto, so I searched for some great recipes over at Tastespotting. I loved the idea of both Jamie Olivers Spinach and Goat Cheese Risotto of Cheese Plus Everything and the Roasted Bell Pepper Risotto with Chorizo Cubes by Delicious Days. I couldn't pick one so I decided to simply combine the ingredients of the two of them Ellie-style.

To start with I roasted the bell peppers the evening before I made the risotto, this was actually quite easy. From now one when I need roasted bell peppers for a recipe I won't buy them but make them myself! Here's what to do (adapted from Delicious Days):

• Preheat the oven at 225 degrees.
• Wash the bell peppers.
• Cut off top and bottom of the bell peppers.
• Remove the seeds and inner ribs.
• Cut the bell peppers into quarters.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Place the quartered bell peppers on the parchment paper.
• Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or untill the bell peppers are evenly blistered and charred.
• Put the bell pepper quarters into a ziploc bag while still hot.
• Squeeze out residual air, then seal and chill the grilled bell peppers in the fridge over night.
• When you're ready to make the risotto, remove the bell peppers from the ziploc bag.
• Remove the charred skins.
• Cut the bell peppers into thin strips.

I was a bit scared that the taste of the goat cheese would overpower the other flavours in the rissotto, however I found it to be really subtle. Next time I'll probably double the amount of roasted bell pepper.

Risotto with Spinach, Roasted Peppers and Goat Cheese

1 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
700 ml low-sodium chicken broth
200 grams spinach leaves
2 roasted bell peppers, sliced
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, I used Pecorino Romano
100 grams goat cheese

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over moderately low heat and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally for about 1 minute. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.

Add wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup of the hot broth, the salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper and simmer, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding hot broth, about 3/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the broth to be absorbed before adding more, until rice is almost tender and creamy-looking, about 18 minutes.

Add the spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted. Add the roasted bell peppers and cook just until the vegetables are hot. Stir in the Parmesan, then stirr in the goat cheese and more broth if the risotto seems too thick. Serve in soup plates. Enjoy!

Tomorrow I'll post about todays Barefoot Bloggers Tuna Salad!