TThis delicious custard tart celebrates some of my favorite flavors (and dishes): sweet, miso-jammed shallots. com. chawanmushi (Japanese steamed custard flavored with dashi) and delicious sesame seeds, all encased in fluffy pastry. It feels decadent, so it’s best served with a simple fennel salad, with apple cider vinegar and mustard. It’s excellent for eating warm out of the oven (be patient!), but even better as leftovers, because I have a soft spot for cold egg tarts.
Caramelized custard and miso tart with fennel salad and apple cider vinegar
Of course, you can use store-bought pastry, but making it from scratch is what makes this dish even more special.
Preparatory school 30 minutes
cold 1 hour 15 minutes+
He cooks 45 minutes
serves 6-8
For pastries
185 grams of plain flourPlus more dust
1 A teaspoon of salt
100 grams cold unsalted buttercubic
For leeks
2 A tablespoon of vegetable oil
350 grams of leekstrimmed, halved lengthwise and cut into 3cm slices
salt
2 A tablespoon of red miso
2 A tablespoon of honey
For the egg mixture
5 eggs
150 ml whole milk
1 1 tablespoon dashi granules
1 A tablespoon of sesame
ChivesThin slices for garnish
Chili oilto apply
For power
300 grams of fenneltrimmed and thinly sliced or sliced using a mandoline
2 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsleyTender stems and leaves, chopped
2 A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
1 A teaspoon of Dijon mustard
First, prepare the dough: In a food processor, grind the flour, salt, and butter until they have a consistency like breadcrumbs. With the motor running, slowly add 65ml of cold water, until a rough ball of dough forms. (Alternatively, sift the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and rub them into the butter cubes. Slowly add the water and mix gently to make a dough.) Wrap the dough in cling film or baking paper and let it cool for at least an hour.
Place the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the leeks with a pinch of salt for seven to 10 minutes, until they are fully cooked and starting to brown.
In a small bowl, dissolve the miso and honey in 2 tablespoons cold water, then pour over the cooked leeks. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer for a few minutes, until the leeks become jammy and most of the liquid has evaporated, then set aside.
On a floured surface, flatten the dough into a disc to fit a loose-bottomed 20cm round tray. Place the dough, press it into the mold, then prick the base with a fork. Return to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C) / 425°F / Gas 7 and place a baking tray in it until it heats up. Line the cooled pastry shell with baking paper and weight it with baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the beans and paper, and bake for another five minutes, until lightly browned. Remove and trim any overhanging pastry, then reduce the oven temperature to 200°C (180°C fan)/390°F/Gas 6.
In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and dashi granules. Spoon the cooked shallots into the pastry crust, then fold them into the egg mixture. Bake for five to seven minutes, until the custard has softened slightly. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the dough is golden and the sesame seeds are toasted. Cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, prepare the cabbage by gently massaging the fennel slices into the remaining ingredients, then season to taste.
To serve, cut the tart and garnish with chives. Then serve with cabbage and chili oil.
Fermentation: Simple Yeasts, Pickles and How to Eat Them, by Kenji Morimoto, published by Pan Macmillan, priced £22. To order a copy for £19.80, visit guardianbookshop.com
