Quiche Aux Asperges Et Saumon (Asparagus & Salmon Quiche)

Most Icelandic asparagus recipes use canned asparagus as fresh asparagus is usually only available in very up-scale grocery stores at a price most would refuse to pay. However, this recipe from *French Bistro and Cafe Cooking* by Pierre-Yves Chupin would make such a purchase worthwhile, for me at least. *Enjoy* !

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 6 Quiche Wedges

Ingredients

• 300  g  pastry dough
•  butter (for greasing)
• 500  g  asparagus tips
• 150  g smoked salmon (thin-sliced & cut in sml strips)
• 3  eggs
• 1  cup creme fraiche
• 1  tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1  cup milk
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425F (220C). Roll out pastry dough & use it to line a buttered pie pan. Using the tines of a fork, prick the pastry (sides & bottom) at regular intervals. Bake blind for 10 min (See note below).
2. Peel asparagus, discarding most of the tough stem & reserving the tips & tender parts. Cook for 15 min in boiling salted water. Drain well, allow to cool slightly & chop roughly.
3. Reduce oven temp to 375F (190C). Evenly distribute the cooked asparagus & smoked salmon strips in the baked pie shell.
4. Beat the eggs, creme fraiche, mustard, milk, salt & pepper in a bowl. Pour the mixture into the pie shell, bake for 30 min & serve immediately.
5. NOTE: To bake blind in Step #1, the recipe recommended the use of a circle of parchment paper to line the bottom of the pie shell & then filling it w/baking beans, rice or chickpeas.