Trout With Lovage Pea Purée Crisp Spring Onions Food

PEA & SPRING ONION TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. To make the pastry, tip the flour and butter into a food processor, and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the cheese and pulse to combine. Add 2-3 tbsp cold water and mix to a firm dough.
• Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Roll out and line a 30 x 20cm rectangular tin (or a 26cm round flan tin) - no need to trim the pastry edges. Chill for 15 mins, then line with baking parchment, fill with baking beans and blind-bake for 10 mins. Remove the parchment and beans, and bake for a further 10 mins until biscuity brown. Trim off excess pastry using a small sharp knife.
• Reduce oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the spring onions and gently fry for a couple of mins until softened. Add the peas, season and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for a further 5 mins. Tip into the food processor with the milk and work to a purée.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the crème fraîche, nutmeg, half the cheese, the pea purée and seasoning. Pour into the pastry case and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 25-35 mins until the filling is firm and lightly browned.

GREEK YELLOW SPLIT PEA PURéE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy saucepan, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, five to six minutes. Add the split peas and enough water to cover by an inch, and bring to a boil. Skim foam off the top, reduce the heat, cover and simmer one hour. Add salt to taste, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes to an hour until the beans fall apart and sink to the bottom of the pot. Stir often to prevent them from sticking. The water should cloud, and some of the split peas will be intact while others will disintegrate. Continue to simmer until they have mostly disintegrated.
• When the beans have fallen apart and are soft and fragrant, remove the pot from the heat and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Replace the lid and let sit for 20 minutes. If the mixture looks more like a soup than a purée, with most of the liquid on the top, place a strainer over a bowl and pour the mixture into the strainer. Let sit for 10 minutes while the liquid runs through the strainer, then return the split peas to the pot. Taste and adjust salt. Moisten as desired with the broth. Add a generous amount of pepper, and whisk in the remaining olive oil and the lemon juice. Whisking helps break down the split peas and contributes to a smooth texture. Transfer to a bowl or plate, top with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.