Ahead of the bank holiday, hosting expert and food columnist Alexandra Dudley has shared her top spring recipes – including a beautiful Boursin & Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart featuring edible flowers.
The tart recipe – along with her Boursin Bloom Board with Crispy Smashed Potatoes – are designed to celebrate the vibrant seasonal produce we get to enjoy during spring, perfect for hosting friends and family as the weather warms up, which lies at the heart of the cheese brand’s current ‘Boursin in Bloom’ campaign.
BOURSIN & ASPARAGUS PUFF PASTRY TART
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
- 1 320g pack ready rolled puff pastry
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- Salt
- 2 bunches of asparagus
- 2 150g packs of Boursin Garlic & Herbs Cheese
- 200ml crème fraiche
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Edible flowers and fresh tarragon to garnish
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees fan setting. Remove the Boursin from the fridge to allow it to come to room temperature.
- Roll out the pastry onto a parchment lined tray and score a boarder about 2cm from the edge. Brush with the beaten egg and season with salt. Bake for 20 mins until golden and allow to cool.
- Halve some of the asparagus length ways then blanch for 2 mins until just cooked. Refresh in ice cold water then drain and toss with olive oil and sea salt.
- Whisk the Boursin with the crème fraiche until smooth.
- Use a spoon to pat down the centre of the pastry. Carefully spoon over the Boursin then spread evenly.
- Top with the asparagus. Zest over the lemon and finish with edible flowers and fresh tarragon if you like.
BOURSIN BLOOM BOARD WITH CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 300g new potatoes
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- 1 150g pack Boursin Garlic & Herbs Cheese
- Your choice of varied spring vegetables – e.g. asparagus, baby carrots, baby fennel, sugar snap peas and fresh peas, tender stem broccoli, radishes and chicory
- Zest of a lemon
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped chives.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees fan setting. Boil the potatoes until they are easily pierced with a knife. Drain in a colander and allow to stand for 5mins to steam dry.
- Toss the potatoes with olive oil and salt on a roasting tray and crush gently with the base of a glass. Season with a little more salt and roast for 30-40 mins until crispy.
- Assemble onto your board with lots of spring veg and Boursin at the centre.
- Finish the potatoes with lemon zest and chopped chives.
