On the Breeze

This first course (for 8) is a great way to show off the bounty of spring: asparagus. Remember to break off the woody ends and discard any stems which are woody. I'm making this for a pot-luck brunch next month.

Aspargus Flan with Cheese Sauce

For flan
2 lb asparagus, trimmed
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste

For sauce
1/4 lb Italian Fontina, rind discarded and cheese coarsely grated (or cut into 1/4-inch dice if too soft to grate)
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs yolks
1 tablespoon butter

Make flan:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8- by 2-inch round cake pan and line bottom with a round of wax paper, then butter paper. Steam asparagus in a steamer set over boiling water, covered, until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Purée asparagus in a food processor until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. (You will have about 2 cups purée.)

Whisk together eggs, milk, cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl, then whisk in asparagus purée.

Pour asparagus mixture into pan and bake in a hot water bath until flan is set and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Transfer pan to a rack to cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.

Make sauce while flan cools:
Put all sauce ingredients in a metal bowl, then set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Heat sauce, whisking until cheese and butter are melted, and then stirring with a wooden spoon, until sauce is slightly thickened and registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 5 to 8 minutes. You must keep stirring until the sauce is completely mixed. Stop for a moment and you run the risk that it breaks. When it coats the back of a spoon like heavy cream, it is done. Remove bowl from pan.

Run a thin knife around edge of flan to loosen, then invert a serving plate over pan and invert flan onto plate. Remove pan and discard paper. If you have reserved some steamed asparagus tips, you can garnish the top with them after you've placed it on the serving plate, or use a combination of minced parsley and chives. Cut flan into wedges and serve immediately with sauce.

You can make the flan the day before you plan to serve it, but the cheese sauce will need to be made on the spot. This will also delight both carnivores and your ovo-lacto friends.

You can make the cheese sauce (and steam the asparagus) in the microwave. In a glass casserole, place the rinsed asparagus, still wet and nuke on high for about 3 minutes. For the cheese sauce, here's the method:

Melt butter in a 1-quart glass measuring pitcher in microwave oven (about 30 seconds at High).

Add milk gradually, stirring constantly.

Cook uncovered in microwave overn 4 minutes at High, or until thickened; stir vigorously after 2 minutes, then every 30 seconds.

Add salt, pepper and cheese to sauce; stir well. Cook uncovered in microwave oven 1 minute at High; stir.