TThere are two essential elements at the heart of Portuguese eating culture Covered And pastries. A cover consisting of bread, butter, pickled or garlic carrots, cheese and a fish pie (often sardines), comes standard in every Portuguese restaurant and family dinner table alike, as in Our restaurant LusoOur fish paste is an ode to this way of eating. Meanwhile, the mushroom tart celebrates the Portuguese love of pastry and is a delicious traditional tart. While such patties are unlikely to contain only mushrooms (they are more likely to be mixed vegetable patties), we like to focus on the amazing varieties of this single ingredient.
Smoked fish and vegetable paste (pictured above)
A smooth, delicious blend of smoked fish and sweet vegetables perfect as a spread, dip or toast. For a softer texture, stir 1 tablespoon of crème fraîche into the vegetable mixture after mixing.
Preparatory school 25 minutes
He cooks 35 minutes
makes 300 grams
For fish paste
300 grams of smoked haddock or cod filletSkinless and boneless
600 ml whole milk
1 bay leaf
60 ml olive oil (about 4 tablespoons)
½ brown onion (about 120 grams), peeled and chopped
1 small carrot (about 120 grams), peeled and chopped
½ small fennel bulb (about 100 grams), trimmed and chopped
1 clove of garlicpeeled and cut into slices
½ tablespoon pink pepperor black pepper
50 ml of white wine (optional)
Sea salt and black pepper
For chili oil (optional)
100 ml of rapeseed oil
½ teaspoon chili flakes
1 small bay leaf
Place the smoked haddock, milk, and bay leaf in a medium-sized pot, bring to a boil over low heat, then leave it to poach for six to eight minutes, until the fish flakes easily. Gently remove the fish from the milk, leave it to cool slightly, then cut it into small pieces. Discard the milk and bay leaf.
Next, cook the vegetables. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the onion, carrots, fennel, garlic and peppercorns, and cook gently, stirring, for 10 minutes, until soft and fragrant but not browned. Add the white wine, if using, and simmer until almost all of the liquid has evaporated.
Place the vegetable mixture in a blender or food processor, blend until very smooth, then place it in a medium bowl. Add the fish fillets until well combined, then add sea salt and black pepper to taste. The paste will now keep for up to three days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
To prepare the optional chili oil, heat the rapeseed oil in a small frying pan, then turn off the heat and add the chili flakes and bay leaf. Leave it to steep for 15 minutes, then pour it into a clean jar and seal it (if you like, strain it first).
To serve, pour the fish paste into a bowl, drizzle with a little chili oil to taste, if using, and serve with toast, crackers or crackers.
Mushroom tart
Preparatory school 20 minutes
He cooks 1 hour and 10 minutes
serves 2
For caramelized mushrooms
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1-1½ leekspeeled and finely chopped (35 grams net)
100 grams chestnut mushroomfinely chopped (and add any of the trimmings from chopping the mushrooms below)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
For tart
160 grams of ready-made puff pastry (i.e. ½ regular can of 320 grams), cut in half into two rectangles
olive oil
80 grams oyster mushroom– Cut into slices half a cm thick
sea salt
80 grams of shiitake mushrooms– Cut into slices half a cm thick
80 grams oyster mushroom– Cut into slices half a cm thick
80 grams of chestnut mushrooms– Or mushrooms cut into slices half a centimeter thick
70 grams of maitake mushroomsCut into ½cm thick slices (if not available, use an additional 70g shiitake instead)
First, prepare the caramel. Put the oil in a small frying pan over medium heat, then add the chopped shallots and stir gently for 10-12 minutes, until they caramelize slightly. Add the chestnut mushrooms, cook for another 10 minutes, until soft and reduced, then add the soy sauce and stir. Mash it until smooth, then set it aside.
Now stinging. Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C)/425°F/Gas 7. Place the two pastry rectangles on a large baking tray (or individual trays) lined with baking paper. Bake for three to five minutes, until the dough has puffed slightly and is slightly golden, then remove and reduce the oven temperature to 200°C (180°C)/390°F/Gas 6.
Put a little olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan over high heat, then fry the king oyster mushrooms seasoned with a little sea salt, on both sides, for a minute or two, until golden. Transfer to a small plate, then repeat one at a time with each remaining variety of mushrooms, keeping them separate.
Spread a thin layer of mushroom caramel over each pastry base. Arrange the seared oyster mushroom slices on top, then brush with another light layer of caramel. Repeat one at a time with all the other mushrooms, adding a swipe of caramel between each to help build flavor and structure, finishing with maitake (or extra shiitake) on top, then brushing again with caramel. Return it to the oven for eight to ten minutes, until the dough becomes golden and crispy. Serve hot or at room temperature with a crunchy green salad.
Kimberly Hernandez is the head chef at… skillLondon W1
