Recipe by Kate Lamont

Mushroom and Melted Leek Tarts

These tarts are a firm favourite of mine and many of our customers. Crisp pastry, buttery leeks and meaty mushrooms make delicious eating, we use a them lot on wine menus as they really enhance the earthy/spicy flavours so enjoyed in cool climate syrah. I use small springform tins which are the correct size for a large mushroom which make the tarts quick and easy to layer up and simple to turn out and serve.

6 large field mushrooms
10 sprigs of thyme
100 mls olive oil
Salt and pepper to season
2 small leeks
100 g butter
250 g puff pastry 

Core the stalks from mushrooms and discard. Place mushrooms on baking tray and season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil and scatter with thyme. Bake in moderate oven until they look good.
Meanwhile trim and wash leeks. Slice as thinly as possible. Melt butter until sizzling, add leeks and cook gently until very soft. Ideally they remain pale and so soft they seem melted. Cool.
Roll pastry to about 4mm thickness. Cut 6 circles to match your tin size. Grease or spray tins. Place mushroom face down in tin. Spread 3 tablespoons of leek on top and into space where stalk was. Cover with pastry. Repeat with all mushrooms.
Bake tarts in 180C oven for approximately 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from tins when cool enough to handle.

Serve with a little cream fraiche and a glass of syrah.

Kate Lamont