Etta's Asparagus and Leek Tart

Etta's is the name of a seafood Seattle restaurant owned by Tom Douglas (one of 4 that he owns there) and named after his daughter. I adopted this recipe and have prepared it just as written using Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust. The flavors of the asparagus, leek and swiss really shine in this tart.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2  cups asparagus, cut into 1 inch segments (about 1/2 pound)
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1 1⁄2 cups leeks, cleaned and julienned, white part only
• 2  cups  emmenthaler cheese, grated
• 2⁄3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 12  inches  sweet tart crust, pre-baked and cooled
• 2  teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh marjoram, chopped
• 2  eggs
• 2  egg yolks
• 2  cups  cream
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Directions: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Bring a pot of water to the boil and blanch the asparagus a few minutes until just barely cooked.
3. Drain and immediately plunge the asparagus in a bowl of ice water.
4. Drain again and set aside.
5. Melt the butter in a saute pan or skillet over medium heat and add the julienned leeks.
6. Saute a few minutes then cover and turn the heat to low and slowly cook leeks until soft, stirring occasionally, about 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Set aside to cool.
8. Sprinkle half the Swiss and half the parmesan cheeses over the bottom of the prebaked tart shell.
9. Evenly spread the leeks and asparagus in the shell.
10. Sprinkle the vegetables with the herbs and the rest of the Swiss and parmesan.
11. In a bowl, using a whisk, beat the eggs, yolks, cream, salt and pepper.
12. Pour the custard over the filling ingredients.
13. (Tip: it's easier to fill the tart without spilling over the edge if you put half the custard in a Pyrex measuring cup and pour it into the tart when the tart is already in the oven.) Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden and the custard is set.
14. (You can check by inserting the tip of a small knife into the center of the tart. It should be soft but not runny.) Remove the tart from the oven, slice into wedges, and serve warm.