Ingredients

Serves 4

• Enough shortcrust pastry to line an 8 inch flan dish
• 150 ml double cream
• 2 eggs
• 100g Cheddar cheese
• 100g Red Leicester or similar cheese
• 200g green asparagus
• Handful fresh parsley or chives, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190 C / Gas Mark 5 / 375 F. Roll out the pastry and line an 8 inch flan tin.
   
   If you want, you can bake it blind. Cover pastry with a sheet of grease-proof paper and then fill with baking beads or equivalent. Bake for 15 minutes.
   
   
2. Wash the asparagus thoroughly to remove any grit and chop into 5cm chunks.
   
   
3. Steam lightly for 5 minutes, then drain well.
   
   
4. Grate the cheeses.
   
   
5. Beat together the cream and the eggs. Add the herbs, salt and pepper, with the mustard (if using).
   
   
6. Put half of each cheese into the cream mixture.
   
   
7. Arrange the asparagus spears in the flan dish and pour the cream mixture on top. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
   
   
8. Bake for about 35 minutes (this depends on your oven), until the egg mixture is risen and set.
   
   
   

Time From Cupboard-To-Table

Notes & Variations on Cheesy Asparagus Flan

Delicious hot, cold or warm. Makes a great picnic dish, if the weather's warm enough.

Veg Box Recipes Newsletter

This asparagus & parmesan recipe is quick, easy and delicious. The simple ingredients complement each other to make a great asparagus starter or even a light lunch.

Or you can simply serve it as a side dish.

It works best with fresh, in-season asparagus, as this is most tender and has a great flavour.

Out of the UK season, most asparagus is flown in from abroad, so check the country of origin, if air miles are an issue for you.

Cream of asparagus soup is a great way to use up any woody ends of asparagus spears or any late season asparagus that's a bit too tough to use in side dishes or salads.

It works well with green or white asparagus, so use whatever you can get hold of.