Flans With Wild Asparagus

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As soon as Spring starts, grab a basket and venture into the forest, wild asparagus are shooting up among the dead leaves. Small and with a slightly bitter taste, there are so many ways you can use these unique early Spring vegetables.

Wild asparagus plant

Starting from late February into March and April, you can forage wild asparagus in the forests of the Cote d'Azur, among patches of grass, where it is humid but sunny.

They look like sticks coming out of the grass as they are straight and dark green. Once your eye gets used to seeing them, you will find them everywhere.

They are much smaller and thinner than the regular asparagus. Their flavour is a concentration of asparagus and perfectly combines with egg and Parmesan.

There are many other ways you can serve wild asparagus.

• Use them in frittata or risotto.
• Season with extra virgin olive oil and serve with any matured cheese and/or bacon.
• Or simply mix them in a salad.

Since wild asparagus are slightly bitter, I used them to top little flans that enhance and complement their flavour. I added some carrots to contrast with some sweetness.

Cooking wild asparagus

Wild asparagus are very small, thin and tender, you can either steam or stir fry them. I quickly steam them in the microwave:

1. Wash them and cut them into 10 cm / 4 in.
2. Put them vertically in a glass with 1 cm ( 1/2 in) of water
3. Steam them covered in the microwave for 3 minutes.
4. They are ready to use as you wish.

Making the flans

Prepare the moulds

1. Coat the moulds with oil and crumbs
2. Lay the asparagus in the bottom of the moulds

Prepare the carrots

1. Clean the carrots and boil them for 20 minutes
2. Mash the carrots and let them cool down completely

3. Whip the butter until soft, then add the eggs
4. Sift the flour with the baking powder and the salt and add to the mix
5. Last, add the carrot mash and the cheese

6. Pour the mix into the moulds
7. Bake for 30 minutes in a hot oven at 180 C - 355 F
8. Let them rest for 5 minutes then turn them upside down and fill the holes with fresh tomatoes or any other fillings you like
9. Serve warm or at room temperature.

How to serve these mini flans

This recipe is perfect for wild asparagus as you can use as many asparagus as you like. The flavours combine perfectly and it does not matter the quantity of wild asparagus you forage.

I filled them with fresh tomatoes, but you can use your imagination and add any other type of fillings.
You can serve them as starters with a salad, display on a buffet table or bring them on a picnic.

More savoury vegetable starters

If you like this recipe and you would like to make a buffet with more vegetable starters, here are some ideas:

• Wild asparagus flans
• Baked frittata with wild mushrooms
• Italian zucchini frittata
• Fried zucchini flowers
• Fried eggplants balls
• Italian zucchini frittata
• Fried zucchini flowers
• Fried eggplants balls

Other recipes you can make for a Spring picnic

If you are planning to make this bread for a picnic or for a brunch/lunch buffet, here are some other recipes you may want to include in your menu:

• Italian cheese bread
• Beef sausage hand pies
• Heidi pie
• Cheese gougere bourguignonne
• Sausage rolls
• Wild asparagus flans
• Rissole a la Dauphine

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