Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Tarragon Tart

The grocery store has fresh, local, first-of-the-season asparagus this week and is offering buy one get one free, so we end up with a lot of asparagus!  We have had our eye on Melissa Clark's (Dinner in French) asparagus, goat cheese, and tarragon tart for a while and decide this is the time to make it.

Our inspiration

We start with a favorite Bobby Flay appetizer, a béchamel-based blue-cheese dip that we serve with potato chips.  We bring two cups of milk to a simmer, heat butter in another saucepan and add finely chopped onions, stirring until soft.  We then stir in two tablespoons of flour, cook briefly, then slowly whisk in the warm milk and continue whisking until the mixture thickens.  We season with salt and cayenne pepper and continue to cook, whisking occasionally.  We remove from the heat and add 4 ounces (113 grams) of crumbled blue cheese, sprinkle with chopped fresh chives, and serve.

Appetizer

While we enjoy the chips and dip, we start on the tart.  As the oven preheats to 425°F (220°C), we mix together goat cheese, an egg, minced garlic, chopped fresh tarragon, lemon zest, salt, and nutmeg.  When this mixture is smooth, we whisk in crème fraîche until smooth again.

Ingredients

Whisking together

We roll out puff pastry to form a rectangle and score a border around the pastry.  The crème fraîche mixture is spread evenly inside the scored border and asparagus spears are lined up on top, brushed with olive oil, and sprinkled with salt and grated Parmesan cheese.

Before assembly

All together

We bake the tart until the pastry is puffed and golden, then let it cool for a while before serving.  To serve, we sprinkle each piece with black pepper, red pepper flakes, shaved Parmesan, tarragon leaves, and a drizzle of olive oil.  To accompany the tart, we make a simple salad of arugula, sliced avocado, ground pepper, and balsamic vinegar.

Ready to serve

Portioned

Served with salad and wine

This has been another [relatively] simple, but fun-to-make and delicious meal!  And, as the tart didn't even use a full bunch of the asparagus, we have a lot more asparagus-themed dishes to think about and make over the next few days.

Outdoors at Chihuly Garden and Glass

The outdoor exhibitions at Chihuly Garden and Glass continue to show off incredible works of glass art, with the Space Needle in the background.

Entering the garden

Looking at the Space Needle

We wander and wonder.

Wandering the garden

We pop back into the Glasshouse to marvel at the Glasshouse Sculpture as it begins to rain outside.

Glasshouse Sculpture

Chandelier walkway outside the Glasshouse

Outside, a glass blowing demonstration begins and we wander out into the Seattle drizzle and watch the artist create a glass bowl that will be sold in a local shop.

Demonstration

On our way out through the gift shop, we spot many beautiful pieces for sale.

Take me home, please

This has been a great trip up to Seattle for dinner and exploration.  We'll be back.

Visiting Chihuly Garden and Glass

Chihuly Garden and Glass is located next to the Space Needle in Seattle.  Dale Chihuly learned how to melt and fuse glass in 1961 and began experimenting with glass blowing in 1967.  He studied in the US and then worked at the Venini factory on the island of Murano.  In 1971, he was a co-founder of the Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington and also founded the Hilltop Artists Program in Tacoma.  After an auto accident in England that left him blind in one eye, he continued to blow glass until he dislocated his right shoulder in 1979 (while bodysurfing).  In the 1980s, he directed others work at the Pilchuck Glass School and commented that stepping back allowed him to see the work from more perspectives.  In 2010, the Space Needle Corporation started to organize a Chihuly exhibition hall which opened in 2012.

We purchase our tickets and enter.

At the entrance

The next room shows many of Chihuly's Inspirations, drawn from Puget Sound, gardens, and the art of local indigenous tribes.

Inspirations

Next is the Sealife Room

Sealife

The hallway to the next room is filled by the Persian Ceiling, a series begun in 1986.

Persian Ceiling

From the Persian Ceiling hallway, we enter the Mille Fiori, a "thousand flowers," inspired by his mother's garden.

Mille Fiori

In a similar theme, Ikebana and Float Boats is inspired by the Japanese art of ikebana, shown here in two boats.

Flo

Float boats

A room of chandeliers delights us from above, followed by the Macchia Forest, in which each work is speckled with color.

Chandeliers

Forest

At the end of the indoor exhibition (outdoor is yet to come) is the Glasshouse and Glasshouse Sculpture, the centerpiece of the gardens.  The 100-foot installation is a palette of reds, oranges, yellow, and amber.

Glasshouse

Heading out into the light rain, we explore the outdoors.