Hot Smoked Salmon & Wild Fennel Tart, With Garden Leaf Salad & Lovage Dressing

By Marcus Bean at Hot Smoked Salmon & Wild Fennel Tart, With Garden Leaf Salad & Lovage Dressing

Ingredients: Short crust pastry: Garden leaf salad; 250g plain flour A selection of any mixed leaf, baby gem, 125g unsalted butter chicory, rocket ½ tsp caster sugar Cucumber (peeled into ribbons) 2-3 tbsp cold water Selection of tomatoes Filling: Freshly picked mint leaves 100g hot smoked salmon Lovage pesto dressing; ½ medium white onion finely diced 1 handful of lovage leaves 1 tbsp chopped chives (use and green leaf if you don’t have lovage, Small bunch fresh fennel tops basil, parsley etc) 1 tbsp chopped dill 2 gloves garlic peeled and chopped Salt and pepper to season 2 tbsp chopped almonds 300ml double cream 3 tbsp grated parmesan 200ml of milk 1/3 cup Rapeseed or olive oil 4 medium eggs 1 tbsp cider vinegar 3-4 tbsp grated parmesan or cheddar

Method:

I’ve included the method for making your own short gently lift the edges of the clingfilm which will also lift crust pastry, because it tastes delicious, but if you don’t out the cooking beans with it. Allow to air dry for 5-10 have time you can always buy some readymade short minutes, then gently brush the pastry all over with the crust pastry. egg wash. Pop back in the oven at 180c for 10 more minutes until golden, then remove from oven and set Start by making the pastry, sift your flour into a large aside to cool. bowl, then rub in the butter with your finger tips, until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the water and mix together For the Filling; with your fingers, until fully combined. Wrap in cling film Put the milk and cream into a bowl and whisk together, and chill for 20- 30 minutes in the fridge. add the 4 eggs, season generously with salt and pepper, and whisk together until combined. (I don’t use an While you are waiting for your pastry to chill, pop a small electric whisk as we don’t want to airate the eggs). saucepan on a medium heat, add a little oil then add the diced onions and allow to slowly cook until soft. Remove Once the pastry is cool, use a peeler to peel the edges of from the heat and allow to cool. the pastry until it is level with the tart tin, brush away and excess pastry that has been trimmed off. Remove your pastry from the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured work surface until it’s an even thickness of Add the cooked onions into the tart shell, then add the a £1 coin. Get a loose bottomed tart case (around 20cm flaked hot smoked salmon, the chopped chives, wild diameter by 3-4cm deep). Grease the tart case with butter fennel tops & cheese. Pour the tart mixture into the tart then line it with your pastry, making sure you press into case and fill. Place the tart back in the oven at 160c for 25-30 the edges of the tart case all the way round (use a 2cm minutes until the filling is just set in the middle. Allow to ball of pastry to do this to stop from piercing the pastry). cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tart tin. Prick all over the pastry base with a fork, to release trapped air and stop the pastry from rising. Now line the For the pesto, blitz all the ingredients together and then pastry case with a double layer of clingfilm, fill it with season to taste. baking rice or pulses, gently fold over the edges of the clingfilm towards the middle. Place onto a baking tray To serve, slice a generous portion of the tart, add the and bake for 15-20 minutes at 180c(fan). After cooking, garden salad, drizzle with the pesto dressing.