ASPARAGUS AND MUSHROOM TART                        

Serves 4

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 2 Ontario shallots, sliced
  • 1 cup sliced Ontario mushrooms
  • 1 pound Ontario asparagus, trimmed
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Pinch each: salt and pepper
  • 1 sheet (225 g) butter puff pastry, thawed
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 cup shredded Ontario Havarti cheese
  1. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots and mushrooms; cook for 2 minutes. Add asparagus and garlic; cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Unroll puff pastry and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush mustard over surface. Poke entire surface with fork. Arrange asparagus spears over pastry and top with mushroom mixture, leaving  ½-inch border; sprinkle with cheese.
  3. Bake in preheated 400 degree F oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Let stand on sheet on wire rack for 5 minutes before cutting to serve.

 

BLACK FOREST ASPARAGUS PANINI                         

Serves 1

  • 2 slices Bavarian style dark rye bread
  • 1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons shredded Ontario Brick or aged cheddar cheese
  • 5 grilled Ontario asparagus spears
  • 2 thin sliced Ontario Black Forest ham
  1. Place rye bread on plate or work surface; spread mustard over the 2 slices. Layer one slice with 1 ½ tablespoons shredded cheese, asparagus spears, ham and remaining cheese. Top with remaining slice of bread, mustard side down.
  2. Grill over medium heat until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes each side. Cut panini in half.

 

WARM GERMAN POTATO AND ASPARAGUS SALAD            

Serves 4 to 6.

  • 3 cups peeled Ontario potatoes, cut into chunks
  • 4 slices Ontario bacon
  • 1 small Ontario onion, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Pinch pepper
  • 1 pound Ontario asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 2-inch pieces
  1. Place potatoes in medium pot; cover with cold water. Bring to boil, cover and cook until fork tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, in large deep skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon, turning as needed, until crisp, 3 to 6 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess fat. Chop or crumble bacon; set aside.
  3. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat from skillet. Add onion to skillet; cook over medium heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Add vinegar, sugar, water, mustard, salt and pepper; bring to boil. Add potatoes and asparagus; cook until asparagus is tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to serving platter; top with crumbled bacon and serve warm.

 

RHUBARB STREUSEL CAKE                                                       

Serves 12

  • 2 ¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 cup Ontario sour cream
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 Ontario eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups coarsely chopped rhubarb, divided
  • ¼ cup butter at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • Topping: 35% Ontario whipped cream
  1. Grease a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish.
  2. In large bowl with wooden spoon, beat together 1 ¼ cups of the sugar. Sour cream, water and eggs until smooth. Stir in 2 cups of the flour, baking soda and salt until smooth. Fold in 2 ½ cups of the rhubarb. Pour batter into prepared dish; spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining rhubarb over batter.
  3. In small bowl, with wooden spoon, beat remaining 1 cup of sugar with butter until smooth. Stir in remaining ¼ cup flour until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle mixture over top of cake; dust with cinnamon.
  4. Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 40 minutes or until golden and tester inserted in centre of cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan on wire rack. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.