Potato, Roquefort and Hazelnut tart

Tags

blue cheese, hazelnuts, potato, quiche, roquefort, savoury tart, tart

This potato and blue cheese tart was a definite treat. An indulgence. It’s creamier than a quiche and manages to take something as humble as a boiling potato and cook it in a manner that transforms it into a gourmet dish. Serve as a starter or a main course with a green salad.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 shortcrust pastry
100g / 4oz lardons
500g / 17oz potatoes, peeled
1 medium onion, diced
200g / 8oz Roquefort
200ml / (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) heavy cream
75g / 3oz grated Gruyère
1 handful of hazelnuts, roughly crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Take the dough out of the fridge and roll out on a floured surface and transfer to a buttered 9 inch (24cm) tart pan
Place again in the fridge for about 20 minutes
Preheat the oven to 210C / 420F
Place the whole potatoes in a saucepan with boiling water and cook for 15 minutes
Drain and allow to cool completely
Slice into thin slices
In a skillet, lightly brown the lardons and onion, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly
Remove the tart shell from the refrigerator
Arrange half the potato slices on the base
Add the lardons and onions
Cover with the remaining potatoes
Pour the cream over the top
Sprinkle the crumbled Roquefort over
Add the hazelnuts
Finally sprinkle on the grated Gruyère
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes
Serve warm
Enjoy!

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Quiche with artichokes, feta and mushrooms

Tags

artichoke, feta, mushrooms, olives, quiche, savoury tart, tart

As most of my regular followers know by now, I love a good quiche or savoury tart. So, I am always experimenting with different flavour combinations. Sometimes, it is simply because I open the fridge and pull out all that needs to be eaten then try and come up with dishes to use them in. Pasta is always an easy option but it can be heavy and I am desperately trying to lose a few pounds that crept on during the holidays, so salads and tarts are a good option. Although I usually cannot stop at just one piece of quiche – but then, who can? This was one of those times that I had mushrooms that needed eating, feta, eggs, cream, spicy olives, an open jar of artichokes – all the ingredients needed. The result was absolutely delicious, a very Mediterranean tasting quiche that was perfect on a gloomy, cold, day to take me away to Greece, Cyprus, Sicily or somewhere similar.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

1 pâte brisée / shortcrust pastry
200g / 8oz mixed mushrooms (button, crema, chanterelles, morilles)
3 eggs
100g / 1/3 cup thick greek yoghurt
100g / 4oz feta, crumbled or cut into pieces
200ml / 3/4 cup thick cream
200g / 8oz marinated artichokes (from a jar)
2 tablespoons olives, pitted and cut into pieces
1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence
Pinch of curry powder
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 180C / 360F
Place the pastry in a quiche or tart pan and set aside
Drain the artichokes and cut into pieces
Clean and cut the mushrooms into small pieces
Heat about 1/2 tablespoon oil in a sauté pan and cook the mushrooms for a few minutes
Whisk the eggs with the cream and the greek yoghurt
Add the curry powder and salt and pepper
Arrange the artichokes, the olives and the mushrooms evenly on the pastry base
Pour the cream and egg mixture gently over
Sprinkle on the crumbled feta pieces
Sprinkle the herbs evenly over the top
Bake for about 40 minutes
Enjoy!

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French onion tart

Tags

french, onion tart, savoury tart

This is a classic French dish, simple yet very flavourful. Perfect with a green salad and a glass of chilled rosé. You can just imagine being at a little table on a sidewalk café, somewhere in France, on a lovely summer’s day.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
100 g / 3½ oz. bacon or lardons, diced
3 or 4 large onions, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
230 g / 18 oz. puff pastry, 1 sheet

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F
Heat olive oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat
Add bacon or lardons and sauté until lightly brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes
Lower heat to medium-low, add onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 15 minutes
Add honey, balsamic vinegar, and thyme
Increase heat to high, boil for 2-3 minutes to reduce, stirring occasionally
Set aside to cool for 30 minutes
Discard thyme
Line a 25 cm /  10″ tart pan with the dough, prick the bottom several times with a fork
With a slotted spoon, scoop onion mixture into the tart shell, leaving excess oil behind
Bake until pastry is crisp and golden, around 20 to 30 minutes.
Bon Appétit!

 

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