THEE TARTS AND TWO SALADS

There is something magical about quiches and tarts.  Preparing them is an ingenious way of offering your family and friends gourmet first dishes which will be, without doubt, highly appreciated.





                                         CRAB AND FENNEL TART

A Superb Tart

        

I have no words for this tart.

Pastry :

180 g (6 oz) plain flour

A pinch of salt

45 g (1½ oz) butter

45 g (1½ oz) lard
A little milk, if necessary
2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs 

Filling:

210 g (7 oz) cooked crabmeat, flaked

1 heaped tbsp fennel leaves, chopped

250 ml (1 cup) thick cream

250 ml (1 cup) full milk

4 large eggs

½ coffee spoon anchovy paste

1 tsp tomato paste

Freshly ground black pepper and

Salt to taste

Heat the oven to 200 C (400 F).   Blend all the pastry ingredients until they come together, but if the dough crumbles stir in a little milk.   Roll the dough out thinly, line a buttered tart dish and sprinkle with the dried breadcrumbs.

Spread the crabmeat all over the pastry shell and sprinkle with fennel leaves.   Whip the eggs with the cream, milk, tomato and anchovy pastes and freshly ground pepper.  Taste and then add some salt, if necessary, and pour over the crabmeat.

Bake for 15 minutes, lower the heat to 180 C (360 F) and bake for 25 minutes more or until puffed and golden brown.  Serve garnished with sprigs of fennel and a green salad.

                                               PRAWN QUICHE

                                     

This is a delicious first dish! 

Pastry

250g (1 2/3 cup) plain flour

125g (½ cup) butter, cubed

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp or more, iced milk

A pinch of salt

Filling

180 ml (2 cups) bland kasseri or Emmenthal, grated

½ kg (1 lb) prawns, sautéed in a little white wine and 2 rosemary twigs until they just change colour and sprinkled with a little salt

4 eggs, separated

125 ml (1/2 cup) cream, 2% fat, if preferred

125 ml (1/2 cup) full milk

2-3 spring onions, finely chopped and stewed with 2 tbsp water and a little olive oil

1 tbsp mayonnaise, low fat if preferred

Salt and pepper to taste

1\8 tsp Cayenne pepper

2 heaped tbsp San Mihalis or Parmesan, grated
2 tbsp snipped chives

2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs for the pastry shell

For the pastry, mix the flour and salt in a bowl.   Rub the butter with flour, add the egg yolk, sprinkle with milk and stir until the dough comes together. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Bring the pastry to room temperature, roll out thinly and line a buttered 27 cm (11 in) tart dish.   Bake blind, covered with baking parchment and beans, for about 10 minutes.   Discard the parchment and pulses and return to the oven for another 5 minutes.   Remove from the oven, sprinkle with dried bread crumbs and set aside to cool.

Sprinkle half the kasseri or Emmenthal over the cold pastry shell and place the prawns evenly on top.  Mix the egg yolks, cream and milk together, and set aside.

Mix the onions with the mayonnaise, the remaining grated cheese and Cayenne, well together and stir into the egg yolk mixture.  Whisk the egg whites, with a pinch of salt, to soft peaks and fold, gently, into the egg yolks.    Taste for seasoning and adjust, if needed.  

Spoon the filling over the prawns and sprinkle with Parmesan and snipped chives.   Bake in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for about 25-30 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.   Serve with a zesty rocket salad and crusty warm bread.

                                            CHEESE TARTLETS

Here is a recipe for delightful small cheese tartlets.

Pastry:

650 g (5 cups) plain flour mixed with

1 tsp baking powder

125 ml (½ cup) melted butter

125 ml (½ cup) mild-tasting olive oil

Pinch of salt

125 ml (½ cup) milk

Filling:

2 tbsp butter

1 bay leaf

3 tbsp plain flour

750 ml (3 cups) milk

½ tsp grated nutmeg

2 medium-sized eggs, whipped

1 cup grated Parmesan

1 cup grated Graviera from Crete or Emmenthal

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

First, prepare the pastry.  Whip the butter for 5 minutes and stir in the olive oil.   Add the flour by the spoonful, salt and milk, stirring until a soft dough is obtained.  Cover with cling film and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling.  Melt the butter, over low heat, add the bay leaf, sift the flour over, sprinkle with salt and nutmeg, and stir and cook gently for 4-5 minutes.   Pour in the hot milk, stir vigorously and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.   Remove from the heat to cool and discard the bay leaf.   Then, fold in the whipped eggs and the grated cheese, stirring thoroughly but gently until well combined.

Brush the sockets of a cupcake tin with melted butter.   Roll out the dough, cut it into rounds and line the buttered cupcake sockets with the pastry.   Spoon in the filling, sprinkle with chives, cover with tin foil and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 30 minutes.  Then remove the foil and bake for 5-7 minutes more, until puffed and golden.     

  

                      

                             FENNEL ROCKET AND ORANGE SALAD

 A very palatable and satisfying salad.

2 bunches rocket, leaves and tender stalks only

3 oranges, peeled and filleted
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, stalks and hard parts discarded, then thinly sliced and covered with iced water to  curl

2 tbsp chopped chives

Dressing:

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp orange juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Arrange the rocket leaves in a salad bowl, divide the sliced fennel bulb and the orange fillets evenly over and sprinkle with chives.

Whip all the dressing ingredients together until thick, pour over the salad, toss and serve.  

                                SPINACH BACON AND MUSHROOM SALAD

A tasty salad which is, actually, a whole meal.

250 g (½ lb) fresh spinach, trimmed, washed and dried

250 g (½ lb) fresh mushrooms, wiped

The juice of ½ a lemon

250 g (½ lb) bacon

2 slices day-old bread, crusts removed and cut into cubes

1 tbsp melted butter

1 garlic clove, peeled and cut in half for the salad bowl

Dressing:

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp tarragon vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

6 tbsp olive oil

(Mix all the ingredients well together until thick)

Heat the oven to180 C (350 F).   Discard the stalks from the spinach and shred the leaves.  Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and reserve them for preparing a soup.  Slice the caps and drizzle with lemon juice to prevent them from discolouring.

Sauté the bacon rashers until crisp, drain on kitchen paper and break into small pieces.   Brush the bread cubes with melted butter and bake in a single layer in a tin lined with parchment for 12-15 minutes or until crisp and golden, and place on a plate to cool.

Rub the salad bowl with garlic and place the spinach and mushrooms, evenly over.   Drizzle with the dressing, scatter the bacon and croutons over and enjoy.    

Images of the 63rd Kifissia Flower Show