Grilled Asparagus Tart and a Giveaway. Welcome to #BBQWeek

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BBQWeek and Michigan Asparagus. All opinions are my own. I received product to make this recipe.

Good Monday morning to all of you and welcome to the first day of our BBQ Week celebration. This party is being hosted by my friend Ellen of Family Around the Table. Ellen says:

"Welcome to #BBQWeek. Let’s fire up the grill, serve up some burgers or steaks or chicken and some delicious sides and desserts! Follow #BBQWeek so you don’t miss one delicious recipe.There are more than 20 recipes this week from some amazing bloggers."

A group of us is gathering today, Wednesday and Friday to share some amazing BBQ recipes with you. I am interested to see what we all share. You see, here in the North/MidWest region of the Country BBQ and Grilling are one and the same. This is not true of our friends down south. BBQ is whole cooking style unto it's own. We understand this now, thanks to so many wonderful Southern BBQ restaurants available country wide but, at least I, still think of anything grilled when told that we are having a BBQ event.

So while I won't be sharing any "traditional" BBQ this month, I will be sharing 3 great recipes that are perfect for throwing on the grill (or "BBQ" as we call it) this summer.

I am starting with a great Grilled Asparagus Tart using seasonal and local produce from our wonderful and generous sponsor at Michigan Asparagus. Michigan Asparagus is offering our readers a great opportunity to win a gift card and two grilling trays. You can enter at the bottom of this post. Good Luck!!

My local grocer, Kroger, has taken to sending out seasonal recipes along with their coupons. Last month I used one of them in my first attempt at making Macarons and they turned out perfectly, so I was looking forward to this month's edition. I was delighted when the very first recipe featured asparagus and immediately adapted it to fit today's theme of BBQ.

I used fresh, local asparagus instead of frozen and grilled it instead of blanching it. Using a disposable grill pan makes life very easy when grilling veggies. Toss the asparagus in some olive oil with salt and pepper, place it on the grill pan and place the grill pan on the grill....easy peasy. I stuck pretty closely to the rest of the recipe and was very glad I did because it turned out beautifully. The filling was creamy and delicious, the grilled asparagus was perfectly toothsome and savory and the crust was flaky and light. This was a perfect appetizer but would also make a lovely lunch or brunch dish with a croissant and some fresh fruit.

Make sure you stop by and see what all the others are grilling up for today's kickoff. You will find the links following my recipe.

Grilled Asparagus Tart
adapted from Kroger

1 bunch fresh local Asparagus
olive oil
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 c. shredded gruyere cheese
1 c. ricotta cheese
2 egg yolks
1/2 t. kosher salt for filling
salt and pepper to taste

Snap woody ends from asparagus stalks, discarding the woody ends and placing the tender stalks in a bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Toss to coat and transfer to a grill pan.  Grill over med high flame until slightly charred and tender crisp.  Remove from grill and set aside to cool.

Roll pastry, on a  lightly floured surface, into a 10x13" rectangle.  Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Using the tip of a sharp paring knife make a shallow cut along each side form a 1" border, being careful not to cut all the way through.  Using a fork, pierce holes inside the inner rectangle, covering the entire area. Place in refrigerator while preparing the filling.

Whisk together the ricotta, gruyere, egg yolks, salt and a couple of grinds of cracked pepper to taste. Spread over the inner rectangle of the chilled pastry crust.  Arrange the grilled asparagus over the filling and return to the refrigerator while the oven preheats to 400*.

Bake in a preheated 400* oven for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350* and bake for another 15 minutes until pastry is golden and filling is set.  Let cool for a few minutes before cutting.  Can be served warm or at room temperature.  Refrigerate leftovers.  Print Recipe

More Amazing #BBQWeek Recipes

• Best Grilled Vegetables (with Asparagus) from Feeding Big
• Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef) + Asparagus with Gochujang Sauce from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Grilled Asparagus and Parmesan Pasta with Toasted Pecansfrom Tip Garden
• Grilled Asparagus Nachos from Red Cottage Chronicles
• Grilled Asparagus Pasta Salad from Dad What’s 4 Dinner
• Grilled Asparagus Haloumi Salad from Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Grilled Asparagus Tart from A Day In The Life On The Farm
• Grilled Asparagus with Balsamic Glaze and Toasted Pecans from Family Around The Table
• Grilled Breakfast Flatbreas with Asparagus and Bacon from Caroline's Cooking
• Grilled Citrus Chicken and Asparagus Packets from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Grilled Hoisin Chicken and Asparagus Summer Rolls from Palatable Pastime

Thank you to Michigan Asparagus for sponsoring #BBQWeek and offering this amazing prize package.




a Rafflecopter giveaway



Fresh asparagus is the taste of spring and Michigan is one of the largest domestic asparagus growers in the United States. Michigan Asparagus is available mid-May through June and is the only hand snapped harvested asparagus which means more usable asparagus and less waste. Local Michigan farmers produce approximately 25 million pounds of Michigan Asparagus during the state's 6-7 week harvest. Michigan Asparagus has excellent flavor and a long shelf life. It is a nutrient-dense, low-calorie vegetable with no fat, no cholesterol, and very little sodium.