Spring Tart

Asparagus and Green Garlic Tart

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tbs sour cream
• 1.5 to 2 lbs medium-thick asparagus
• 4-6 stalks green garlic (stalks only, no bulbs)
• 1 can or jar pitted black olives, drained & rinsed
• 6 oz Manchego or similar cheese, grated
• 2 tsp dried tarragon
• Black pepper grinder
• 2 frozen unsweetened pie shells (whole wheat is good)

Heat the oven to 350.

Beat the eggs together with the milk and sour cream.  Slice the green garlic 1/4" thick.  Cut the olives in half.  Break the tough stems off the asparagus and cut the rest on the bias into 1" pieces.

Put the pie shells in pie pans (if the come with foil pans, use a cookie sheet underneath them).  In each pie shell, put (evenly distributed as you can manage): half the asparagus, then half the green garlic, then half the olives, half the grated cheese, and half the tarragon.  Pour half the eggs and milk over it all, swirling to coat all the piled veggies. Grind some pepper on top. Do the same with the other pie shell.

Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the eggs and milk are completely set.  Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Serve with a green salad. Serves 6 people for a light spring meal.  Leftover tart keeps in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Green garlic is the young stalks of garlic before they form bulbs. Its flavor is milder than garlic cloves, sort of between green onions and garlic.  Sometimes it has small young bulbs attached; while these are tasty in may other recipes, they are not useful for this one.  It is available almost exclusively in the spring.  Substitute spring onions, or green onions, with a little garlic powder.