Fennel Gratin

Photo courtesy of Photography by Sadiq

My friend Sadiq has started taking new images for my blog and he's also started his own food photography blog which will feature a lovely preview of what's to come in Redjar Cooking. Simply click on the link, Or even better you can follow Food Photography on the following link http://foodphotographybysadiq.blogspot.co.uk/.

This is an older recipe of mine and like most things I make they evolve over time. The adjustments include the addition of mustard and thyme, making this tart ideal for winter. One of my favorites and probably the tart recipe I get asked for the most, so here it is in all its evolved glory.


PASTRY:
175g plain flour
75g cold butter cubed
75g cheddar, grated
1 egg, beaten
60ml cold water
pinch of sea salt

FILLING:
2 medium sized fennel weighing around 250g each
1 small onion or banana shallot
50ml double cream
1 tablespoon olive oil
50g grated parmesan
1 tablespoon dijon or pommery mustard
4 sprigs thyme
Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

METHOD:
To make the pastry place flour, butter, cheddar and salt in a large mixing bowl and rub together until the butter has incorporated into the flour, doesn't matter if the mixture is a bit lumpy. Add water and half the egg, roughly knead together to form a dough, try not to over mix as this will give the pastry a better flake. Wrap pastry in cling film and place in the fridge to rest for at least 1 hour.

Grease a 22cm fluted tart baking dish with removable base and set the oven to 200oC.
Once the pastry has rested roll out on floured surface until about 4-5mm thick, line the tart dish with pastry, press down on the corners, trim and pinch at the edges to get a neat finish. Place the pastry case back in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.

Start on the filling, place a small pot of water over a high heat and bring to the boil. Slice the fennel down the middle and cut out the core and remove the stalk on top. Finely slice the fennel and onion, place into the pot of water with a good pinch of salt cook for around 7-10 minutes until tender, drain then tip the fennel back into pot and season well with salt and pepper and stir in the olive oil, parmesan, mustard and leaves from the thyme.

With a fork prick the base of the pastry 10 times then line with grease proof paper and pour some rice or dried legumes onto the grease proof and blind bake pastry for 12 minutes. After the 12 minutes carefully remove the grease proof paper with legumes and bake the pastry for a further 6 minutes till golden brown.

When the pastry has cooked evenly spread out the fennel round the casing and sprinkle with cracked pepper. Using a small jug pour a slow thin stream of cream into the center of the tart and work your way round in a spiral till all the cream has been added. Bake the tart in the oven set at 180oC for 30 minutes. Once cooked you can either eat it hot or cold.

Fresh Prawn, Crushed Peas Salad with Blackberries, Fennel and Sea Arrow Grass

A lovely little mixed salad of random pairings, nevertheless it definitely works. I've been experimenting with sea arrow grass which grows in sand dunes and has a surprisingly sweet grassy taste with a hint of sea air. I know my description sounds pretentious but if you manage to get the chance do try some and correct me if I'm wrong.
Mixed with some other simple super-food ingredients you have a very tasty and healthy salad. Totally appropriate for this time of year!
Once again Etienne has taken a stunning vivid shot and I must eternally thank him for his time and skills!

600g raw prawns
1kg fresh pea's in the pod
2 fennel
250g blackberries
100g sea arrow grass
50ml extra virgin olive oil
1 small brown onion
1 large red chilli
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons sea salt

METHOD:
First shell the peas, once shelled place a large pot onto a high heat and add half the olive oil, peas and 1 teaspoon salt. Saute the pea's for 4-5 minutes just to soften them then remove from heat, using the back of a rolling pin of a potato masher roughly bash the pea's for 30 seconds to break them up. Place peas to once side for cooling.
Peel and dice the onion, thinly slice the chilli and peel and crush the garlic. Place a sauce pan over a high heat and add the remainder olive oil, once hot add the onions, garlic and chilli, cook for 2 minutes then add the prawns. Cook the prawn till just pink and slightly under cooked then remove from heat.
Cut the tops off the fennel, slice in half and remove the core then slice very thinly. Wash the sea arrow grass and cut into match stick sized piece's.
Its now time to construct the salad, you can either make individual portions or one large platter. On the base lay down crushed pea's followed by slice's of fennel, prawns and cooking juices. Lastly garnish with blackberries and sea arrow grass and serve.