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.

Watermelon and Smoked Mozarella Salad

I have to admit I was never a fan of watermelon growing up, however I've recently reacquainted myself and realised how very very wrong I was. Especially on a hot day there isn't anything as refreshing and sweet like a beautiful watermelon, simple and satisfying.
This salad incorporates melon with smoked stringy textured cheese and slender crunchy flaked almonds. All rounded off with peppery rocket and slightly bitter red onion, all flavours balanced to make a wonderful summer salad. 

1/2 watermelon
300g smoked mozzarella
1 red onion
50g flaked almonds
70g washed rocket

Dressing:
2  juiced lemons
1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
1 apple
1 shallot
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons water
50ml extra virgin olive oil

 Method:
To make the dressing peel apple and slice into wedges then cut out the core.  Place apple, lemon juice, mustard, diced shallot, salt and water over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Once apple turns mushy remove dressing from heat and pour in food processor. Blend dressing with olive oil for 2 minutes till smooth.
Place a small fry pan over medium heat and add the almonds, toss in the pan till they just start to turn golden brown then remove from heat. Peel red onion, slice in half and top'n'tail then slice very finely lengthways. Remove the rind off melon and cube into 2cm piece's. To make the salad you can either make 4-6 individual servings or 1 large platter. First lay down rocket followed by a scattering of red onion and melon. Then tear mozzarella into small piece and evenly distribute over salad, lastly sprinkle almonds on salad and drizzle over desired amount of dressing.

Cheddar and Mustard Crackers

Here's a recipe you don't see very often? Crackers! Its one of those items you only ever think to buy in the supermarket or deli. However crackers made fresh are amazing and look really tasty, because they are damn tasty! Eat on their own or with cheese and chutney either way you'll be greatly satisfied with the knowledge of cracker making. 
I must once again thanks Etienne (Birthday Boy) for these wonderful fresh batch of amazing photo's. xx

350g plain flour
200g butter
100g grated mature cheddar
6 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

METHOD:
Place a small fry pan over medium heat and add mustard seeds, shake the seeds round pan till they start to pop. Remove from heat and roughly ground in pestle and mortar then place in large mixing bowl with flour, cheddar, salt and pepper. Cut butter into 1cm piece's and add to the dry mixture, using a folk press butter into the dry till well combined with flour and resembles bread crumbs. Add half the water and stir till the mixture starts to form a dough then add the remainder of water and mix till a rough dough ball forms. Cling film the cracker dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Once rested roll dough out on a lightly floured surface till 5mm thick, using a 8cm round cutter start cutting out crackers. With the off cuts of dough roll into a ball and roll out once more and cut extra crackers. Place crackers on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in oven pre-heated at 175oC for 15 minutes or till golden and dried out. Leave to cool completely before storing or eating.

Innovator Potatoes Roasted in Mustard

 A very tasty and moreish way to roast potatoes and are excellent on their own or as a side dish. Personally I like to eat the potatoes cold as the mustard flavours tend to mature as the day progresses.

1.2kg innovator potatoes
200g dijon mustard
1 white onion
1 stick of celery
3 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno
100ml vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 small bunch coriander

METHOD:
Wash potatoes and leaving the skin on cut into 2cm cubes and place in baking tray lined with parchment paper. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil over potatoes and sprinkle over 1 tablespoon of salt, place in pre-heated oven set at 200oC for 30 minutes.
Put a small fry pan over medium heat and add mustard seeds, toast until seeds start to crackle and pop then remove from heat and place in pestle and mortar, roughly ground into a powder. Peel the onion and garlic, cut celery into 4 and place in food processor with mustard, ground mustard seeds, jalapeno, vegetable oil, vinegar, remaining salt and roots of coriander, blend together for 1 minute. Once potatoes have cooked remove from oven and pour the mustard dressing over potatoes, quickly and roughly mix together (if you take to long the heat from the potatoes hitting the mustard will make all your sensors run over time). Place potatoes back in oven for a further 30 minutes. Once cooked leave to cool for 10 minutes and roughly stir together, serve with fresh coriander leaves.

Mustard Asparagus:

As a kid my grandparents owned a large asparagus farm in New Zealand, originally they started with strawberries but after several season they realised asparagus picking is less strenuous on the back. I remember the first time I tried asparagus my Nana made a soup from the first of the crop and fell in love with this green immediately.

2 Bunches of Asparagus (around 600g)

2 tablespoon French Dijon mustard

2 tablespoon French whole seed mustard

2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon sea salt

100ml extra virgin olive oil

1 sprig of thyme

3 tablespoons water

Method:

Fill a large cooking pot with water and place on a high heat on stove top, while the water is coming to a simmer remove the coarse ends of the asparagus buy holding both end of the asparagus and snapping the coarse end away, the asparagus will break from the coarse end naturally this way, discard the ends of asparagus. In a small mixing bowl place the mustard's, vinegar, salt, oil and water and mix together with a fork till well combined and place aside.

Once the water has come to a simmer add the asparagus and cook for around 4-5 minutes till the asparagus is tender then drain and pour cold water over the asparagus till it has cooled. In a large mixing bowl mix the asparagus and dressing lightly with you hands till the asparagus is coated in the mustard dressing and serve.