Smoked Salmon flan
Pastry 8 oz plain flour 2oz lard (if you prefer not to use lard, then use 4 oz butter) 2oz butter pinch of salt 2oz strong flavoured cheddar, grated Very cold water to bind mixture
Filling 3 large eggs 5 fl oz double cream salt and pepper, to taste 8oz Orkney organic smoked salmon 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives 2 or 3 sprigs of fresh dill (optional)
Preheat oven to Gas mark 4 and grease an 8 inch flan dish. I use a ceramic dish as I feel it conducts the heat better, and the bottom of the flan becomes nice and crisp. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, then rub in the lard and butter (or all butter) until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the cheese and then just enough water to mix to a dough. Cover this with clingfilm and chill for approx 30 minutes. Then. roll out the dough onto a lightly floured board. Put into the flan dish and, after pricking the pastry all over with the tines of a fork, bake blind (I use ceramic 'beans' for this task, but rice or dried peas will do) until the empty flan is vey slightly golden in colour and cooked on the bottom.
Whisk the eggs in a bowl, add the cream and seasoning. Spread the salmon in pieces over the cooled base of the tart, sprinkle with chives (and dill, if you wish) and pour in the egg mixture. Bake this for approx 20-25 minutes until the mixture sets and is a golden brown.
Eat hot or cold.
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