Caramelised Red Onion and Rocket Tartlets

I had some friends over for lunch a couple of weeks ago and I made these lovely quiches along with a variety of salads. They were a bit of a faff to make with layering up the filo but they were well worth it. Very tasty.

Caramelised Red Onion and Rocket Tartlets (from The Times)
(Serves 4)

1 large red onion
20g butter
2 tsp olive oil
1 large egg
150ml double cream
salt and pepper
15g rocket leaves
25g Parmesan cheese, grated
25g cheddar cheese, grated

For the pastry cases
25g butter, melted
2-3 large sheets shop bought filo
4 tsp thyme leaves

Finely slice the onion. Heat the butter and oil in a large, non-stick frying pan until the butter has melted. Add the onion slices and fry over a medium-low heat for about 15 mins, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelised. Remove the onion, drain on kitchen towel and set aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 190C.

Prepare the filo pastry cases: brush a little of the melted butter in the hollows of a Yorkshire pudding tin. Using a sharp knife, cut 16 squares, measuring 11cm x 11cm, from the filo sheets. Layer 4 filo squares per hole, each at an angle to the previous squares, brushing melted butter and sprinkling thyme over each layer. Scrunch up the pastry edges to add a bit of height.

In a small bowl, beat the egg, then stir in the cream and salt and pepper. Roughly chop the rocket, setting aside a few leaves for garnish. In a separate bowl, combine the two cheeses.

Carefully spoon the onion into the pastry cases. Scatter over half the cheese and the chopped rocket. Pour in the egg mixtuire, then top with the rest of the cheese.

Bake for 15-20 mins or until the filling is just set and starting to turn golden brown at the edges. Remove from the tin and serve warm.

Mushroom and Wild Garlic Wholemeal Quiches

When wild garlic was about I made these lovely quiches, the recipe came out of my head as I had some cottage cheese and the wild garlic to use up and had no quiches in my freezer. I have the quiches there as an easy lunch I can take to work with no prep the night before, useful when I'm out at the theatre! I was also given some wholemeal flour a little while ago and I wanted to find things I could make with it, this seemed a good way to start.

Mushroom and Wild Garlic Wholemeal Quiches
(makes 4 small quiches)

110 g wholemeal flour, plus a little extra for dusting 
pinch of salt 
25 g lard, removed from the fridge for 20 mins
25g butter, removed from the fridge for 20 mins
1 tbsp oil

1 medium onion, finely sliced

300g mushrooms, finely sliced

bunch wild garlic, thinly sliced

butter and olive oil

rosemary, finely chopped

salt and pepper

4 eggs, beaten

50ml milk
150ml cottage cheese

Make the pastry first by rubbing the butter and lard into the flour in a large bowl until you have something resembling breadcrumbs, then add a tablespoon or two of cold water and bring it together into a dough with your hands, you may need to add a little more water to create the dough.  Wrap in cling film and put in the fridge for at least 30 mins.

In a large pan heat the oil and add onions, stir and gently sauté for about 15 mins until they begin to turn golden brown. Remove from the pan and then add a little butter and sauté the mushrooms, wild garlic and plenty of salt and pepper until they are tender, then turn up the heat a little and add the onions back in and remove from the heat.

Roll the pastry out and grease the quiche dishes. Line the dishes with the pastry. Scrunch up some baking parchment and then lay this into the pastry case and pour some baking beans on top. Blind bake for 10 mins on 150C

Once the pastry turns golden, take it out of the oven and set aside whilst you beat the eggs into the milk and cottage cheese. Pour the mushroom and garlic mixture into the pastry cases followed by the cream and bake on 160C for about 10-15 mins until golden and risen, set aside on a wire rack to cool.

Snail and Bacon Quiche

When I was in Picardie in April, we visited a snail farm and I bought some proper French snails. They've been sat in my shelf ever since and I finally got around to using them. When I was there I had a chat with the lady who ran the snail farm and she said to make a quiche out of the snails, adding bacon and cheese, so I followed what I could remember of her instructions, it was delicious, I gave one to my neighbour and she enjoyed it too.

Snail and Bacon Quiche

(Makes 1 20cm quiche)

110g plain flour

25g lard

25g butter

pinch salt

cold water

4 rashers bacon, cooked

10 snails, chopped

75g cheddar cheese

2 eggs, beaten

275ml milk

salt and pepper

Add flour and butter to a mixing bowl, using a knife cut the butter into the flour. Then using your fingertips rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the salt and water, then quickly knead the dough, just until it comes together. Pop in the fridge for an hour to chill.

Heat the oven to 180C.

Roll out the pastry and line a 20cm tin with it. Prick the base with a fork, line with greaseproof paper and put baking beans on top. Bake the pastry case for 15 mins then remove from the oven and pain with a little beaten egg, and pop back into the oven for 5 more mins.

Meanwhile, beat together the egg and milk and mix in 2/3rds of the cheese and the salt and pepper.

Take the pastry case out of the oven and scatter the bacon and snails in the base. Pour the egg and milk mixture over the top of the bacon and snails. Sprinkle over the rest of the cheese and put back into the oven for 30-40 mins until the quiche is set in the centre and has turned golden brown.

Raclette Tart

I love raclette cheese! I was hurrying to find things to do with the cheese after heating it up on top of boiled potatoes and cold meats before the cheese went bad and I came across this recipe from Nigel Slater in The Guardian. It was really good, lovely and tasty and the cheese was fantastic and melty in the bottom of the tart.

Raclette Tart (from The Guardian)

(Serves 6)

200g plain flour
100g butter
1 egg yolk
milk

For the filling:
350g raclette, thinly sliced
50g salami, thinly sliced or shredded
2 tsp peppercorns
12 cornichons, halved
2 eggs
150ml creme fraiche
good pinch thyme leaves, chopped

Put the flour in a large mixing bowl with a pinch of salt. Cut the butter, rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk, mix a little more then add enough milk – a couple of tablespoons – to bring the dough to a soft, rollable consistency.

Flour a board, roll the pastry out and use it to line a 22cm shallow-sided tart tin – preferably one with a removable base. Line with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Set aside for 20 mins in the fridge to rest. This will stop it shrinking during baking. Set the oven to 200C and place a metal baking sheet in the oven.

When the pastry case has rested, bake on the hot baking sheet for 20 mins. Remove the case from the oven, carefully lift out the paper and baking beans, then return to the oven for 5 mins, until dry to the touch. Remove from the oven and lower the heat to 180C.

Put the eggs in a mixing bowl, then stir in the crème fraîche and a little salt and black pepper.

Place the slices of cheese neatly in the base of the tart case. Scatter over the shredded salami, green peppercorns and cornichons, then pour over the crème fraîche and egg mixture. Place on the heated tray in the oven and bake for 25-30 mins until the filling is lightly set and pale gold. Leave to cool a little before serving.

Salmon and Wild Garlic Quiche

I made these a little while ago when wild garlic was in season and then I froze them. I ate the first one yesterday and it was lovely, the pastry was fantastic and flaky. The wild garlic, is mild but full of flavour and goes perfectly with the salmon.

Salmon and Wild Garlic Quiche (adapted from Camera and Clementine)
(Serves 6-8)

360g strong white flour
200g cold butter
6 tbsp cold water
pinch of salt
5 large free range eggs
200g crème fraiche
1 large tin salmon, flaked
30-40 wild garlic leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp nutmeg
a sprinkling of mature cheddar
salt and pepper


Add flour and butter to a mixing bowl, using a knife cut the butter into the flour. Then using your fingertips rub in the butter until all the large lumps are gone. Add the salt and water, then quickly kneed the dough, just until it hangs together. Pop in the fridge for an hour to chill.

Preheat the oven to 220C.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface to fit a 28 cm buttered quiche tin. Blind bake the crust for 15 mins.

Meanwhile make the filling, by beating the eggs with the salt, pepper, nutmeg and crème fraiche. Add the salmon, wild garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper and mix.

Pour the filling into the pastry case and sprinkle with a little mature cheddar on top. Bake for 35-40 mins. Serve with a green salad.