Ingredients:

  • 1 refrigerated 9-inch pie crust (200 g)
  • 170 g hot-smoked salmon, flaked
  • 225 g asparagus, woody ends snapped off and cut into 5 cm pieces
  • 30 g green onions, thinly sliced
  • 115 g Gruyère, shredded (about 1 cup)
  • 2 tbsp (2 g) fresh dill, chopped
  • 3 large eggs (150 g, shelled)
  • 240 ml whole milk
  • 80 ml heavy cream
  • 2 g lemon zest
  • 3 g kosher salt
  • 0.5 g black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Set an oven rack in the lower third and preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
  2. Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, press it into the fluted edges, trim the overhang, and prick the base all over with a fork.
  3. Freeze the crust for 15 minutes.
  4. Line the crust with parchment, fill it with pie weights or dried beans, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment, then bake 5 more minutes until the base looks dry and the edges are pale golden.
  5. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus for 2 minutes, then move it straight into ice water until cold. The stalks should be bright green and crisp-tender.
  6. Drain the asparagus and pat it completely dry with paper towels.
  7. Scatter the salmon, asparagus, green onions, half of the Gruyère, and the dill over the warm crust.
  8. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, lemon zest, salt, and pepper for about 30 seconds, until no streaks of egg white remain.
  9. Set the tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the custard slowly over the filling, then sprinkle the remaining Gruyère on top. Leave about 6 mm (¼ inch) of space below the rim.
  10. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are puffed and set and the center wobbles only slightly when the pan is nudged. The center should reach 170°F (77°C) on a thermometer.
  11. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before slicing into 6 slices.