LYTRO CAMERA, PART TWO – ASPARAGUS AND PESTO BUNDLES

I’m still learning to use my new Lytro light field camera. It has several features that make it absolutely unique. Most importantly you can focus any part of the image while it is still in the viewfinder, and unbelievably you can focus again once you upload the image to your computer (As long as you have the provided software installed). You can make images of something very close to the lens and something in the background. Then you decide which you want to emphasize or bring everything into focus. The camera is especially useful for ultra-close-ups.

I decided to play around with the camera for images of a dish to go with the shrimp, mushroom and artichoke mac and cheese from my most recent post. Actually, I had some fresh asparagus in the fridge and some puff pastry I needed to use up. I added a little pesto from the freezer, and I wound up with something easy and  a little different. The way I did things, I was only able to make three servings, but very easily – and undoubtedly better – you can make six servings by just cutting more of the stem off of the asparagus spears. The crowns are the better parts anyway.

When basil is in season and plentiful. you can make fresh pesto, but we often make extra and store it in the freezer for later use. It is also readily available in jars or frozen so that you don’t need to take the somewhat laborious extra step of making fresh pesto.

Fresh asparagus

A Lytro view of asparagus heads

Three or four asparagus stems make a bundle

Asparagus, pesto, and pine nuts ready to be sealed up

Puff pastry bundles sealed and ready for the oven

Baked asparagus pesto puff pastry bundles

An accompaniment to shrimp, artichoke and mushroom mac and cheese

RECIPE

Asparagus and Pesto Bundles in Puff Pastry

Ingredients

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed according to directions
• 9-12 fresh asparagus spears, trimmed of the woody ends
• 1 cup fresh, frozen, or bottled pesto
• ¼ cup pine nuts, lightly browned in a dry skillet
• 1 whole egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water

Method

1. On a lightly floured surface, carefully unfold the thawed puff pastry and roll with a lightly floured rolling pin until it is about 1/16 inch thick
2. Divide the rolled dough into three strips along the fold lines.
3. Place 3 or 4 asparagus spears in the center of each strip ( If you wish, you can divide the dough into 6 strips and use only enough of the asparagus crowns to fit the strip.)
4. Spread a generous tablespoon of pesto over each of the asparagus bundles.
5. Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts on top of the pesto.
6. Paint the edges of the dough strips with some of the egg and water mixture. Fold the dough over the asparagus and pesto. With your fingers, seal the edges of the envelope. Then finish sealing, using the tines of a dinner fork and gentle pressure.
7. Arrange the bundles on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Paint the tops of the bundles with egg and water mixture, trying not to let the mixture run down onto the parchment where it is likely to burn and may stick the baked bundles to the parchment
8. Bake in the middle of an oven preheated to 400°F for 15 minutes or until the bundles are golden brown.
9. Serve while still warm. A little Hollandaise couldn’t hurt if you like.