Smoked trout, lime and quail egg tartlets

INGREDIENTS

12 quail eggs

2 tablespoons crème fraîche

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 lime, finely grated zest

250g smoked trout, flaked, skin and bones discarded

fresh chervil, to garnish

cyprus black sea salt, (see note)

SHORTCRUST PASTRY

300g plain flour

120g cold unsalted butter, cubed

pinch salt

2 egg yolks

METHOD

To make the pastry, place the flour, butter and salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and 80 ml cold water and pulse again until just starting to come together. Knead on a floured surface to bring together, shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 180°C . Lightly grease twentyfour 6 cm x 1 cm fluted or plain tartlet tins.

Roll out the pastry to 5 mm thick and, using an 8 cm round cutter, cut out 24 circles. Press each circle into the tins, trimming excess pastry. Place on baking trays and refrigerate for 30 minutes. To blind bake the cases, line them with baking paper and fill with dried beans, rice or baking weights. Bake for 15–20 minutes, remove the beans and paper and bake for a further 10–15 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Leave to cool in tins, then turn out.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Using a spoon, carefully place the quail eggs into the pan. Bring back to the boil and cook for 1½ minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water. When cool enough to handle, peel and halve lengthways.

Combine the crème fraîche, lime juice and zest in a bowl. Gently fold in the trout. Divide the mixture between the cases, top each with a quail-egg half, garnish with chervil leaf and sprinkle with the black salt.

NOTE:

Cyprus black sea salt is available from gourmet food stores.

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