Chic Cuisine: Smoked Salmon, Red Onion and Dill Tartlet

Hey everybody, these brighter days have inspired me to create a light fresh recipe with a spring feel. This recipe is Ideal for a Sunday lunch, a picnic or a Valentines night in and the leftovers are fantastic in a lunchbox. This tart can be made with puff or filo pastry also. If you do not have fresh dill, don’t worry dried will be fine. The fish stock cube just adds a little punch of flavour. Some fresh liquid stock would be even better. Be careful not to oversalt this dish as the smoked salmon itself and the stock do add a saltiness already. Some optional ingredients which could be added in include: leeks and asparagus. For an even more luxurious feel as a treat for Valentines Day why not add some fresh prawns, crayfish tails or lobster.

Enjoy with a fresh green salad and a glass of prosecco.

Ingredients

• 200g Shortcrust pastry
  - 200g plain flour
  - 100g butter
  - Few tbsp cold water
• 250g smoked salmon
• 3 eggs
• 250ml double cream
• 1 red onion
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• Salt and pepper
• ½ fish stock cube

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200C
2. Short crust Pastry – Cut the butter into small squares. Rub the butter into the flour until it looks like breadcrumbs. Slowly, using a knife stir in some cold water until it all comes together in a ball. Knead for a minute of two, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30mins
3. Shred the salmon into strips. Finely slice the red onion, chop the dill up finely.
4. Whisk the eggs and cream together, season with salt and pepper. Dissolve the fish stock in 50mls hot water. Allow to cool a little and add this to the egg and cream mixture.
5. Add the salmon, onion and dill to the egg mixture. Set aside.
6. Remove the pastry from the fridge – roll out and line a quiche dish. Bake blind for 15mins. (Baking blind means putting the pastry in the quiche dish – then line it with parchment / greaseproof paper and put something dry like rice / pasta in it to weigh it down. After 20 mins – remove and discard)
7. When the pastry has been baked – pour in the filling. Return to the oven and bake until firm and a golden colour, about 35mins.
8. Remove from the oven, cool on a wire tray.

This tart is best served at room temperature with a green salad and a garlic and lemon vinaigrette.
This is Chic Cuisine. Every fortnight I post some of my delicious, tasty and economical recipes here on our very own OurKilcock.ie. Please feel free to post any questions or queries in relation to the recipes and I’ll be happy to answer them. Please use your own judgement on cooking times and measurements within reason as all of us do things a little different.