Watercress Cheese Tartlets Food

GOAT'S CHEESE & WATERCRESS QUICHE

Steps:

• Put the flour and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the egg and about 1-2 tbsp water to form a soft dough. Knead well then wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Knead the pastry again and roll it out to line a 20cm loose-bottomed flan tin (the pastry won't shrink, so no need to chill). Patch holes with spare pastry and brush the base and sides with egg.
• For the filling, fry the onion in the oil until just soft, add the watercress and cook until just wilted. Beat the eggs and milk and stir in the watercress mixture and goat's cheese.
• Season and if you like, add a pinch of nutmeg. Put the flan tin on a bakingsheet and bake the pastry blind for 5 minutes. Add the filling and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 180C/gas 4/ fan 160C and cook for 25-30 minutes or until lightly set.

CREAM CHEESE TART SHELLS

Steps:

• Blend cream cheese and butter or margarine. Stir in flour just until blended. Chill about 1 hour. This can be made ahead and chilled for up to 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Shape dough into 24 one-inch balls and press into ungreased 1 1/2 inch muffin cups (mini-muffin size) to make a shallow shell. Fill with your favorite filling and bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust is light brown.

WARM LOBSTER AND BRIE TARTLETS

Steps:

• 1. Over medium-high heat, saute shallots in butter for 2 minutes. Add lobster and tarragon, saute 2 minutes. Add Riesling and saute 2 minutes longer to cook lobster and evaporate most of the liquid from the pan. Set aside.
• 2. Flour a work surface and roll out the crust to flatten. Cut 3, 5-inch circles from each crust.
• 3. Spray the cups of a muffin pan with vegetable oil. Lay one pastry circle into each muffin cup, pressing the bottom flat to the bottom of the cup so it will sit flat after baking. Prick the bottom of each little cup and chill for 10 minutes.
• 4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake chilled tart shells 12 to 15 minutes until light gold. Remove and let cool before using (You can prepare to here up to 24 hours before using. Store in a cool, dry place).
• 5. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Fill each cup with a small chunk of Brie and 1/2 tsp. of lobster mixture, dust with almonds. Bake 7-8 minutes until cheese is bubbly. Serve.

WATERCRESS & CHEESE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Sift flour into a mixing bowl and add salt.
• Rub 1/3 cup of the butter into the flour until mixture resemble bread crumbs.
• Stir in the cold water to make a firm dough.
• Knead the dough lightly, ten roll out on a lightly floured surface.
• Line 4 4-inch tartlet pans with the dough, trimming the dough to fit the pans.
• Prick the bases with a fork and set aside in the refrigerator to chill.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining butter in a skillet.
• Discard the stems from the watercress or spinach and add the leaves to the skillet (if using spinach, make sure it's well drained before mixing with the filling ingredients) along with the garlic and shallot.
• Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the watercress is wilted.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cheese, yogurt and paprika.
• Spoon the mixture into the pastry cases and cook in a preheated oven at 350F for 20 minutes or until the filling is firm.
• Turn out the tartlets and serve hot or cold.

SWISS CHEESE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Fry bacon til crisp and set to drain on paper towels.
• Pour off some of the bacon fat, and add onions.
• Cook over medium heat until transparent and tender.
• Combine eggs, sour cream, onion, cheese and a dash of salt and pepper to taste.
• Crumble cooled bacon or chop in small pieces and add to the mixture.
• Stir til cheese is melted and pour into shells.
• Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
• Serve at once or make ahead and reheat.

HAM, TOMATO & WATERCRESS TART

Steps:

• Place the flour, polenta, butter and a pinch of salt into a food processor, then whizz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Tip in the Parmesan and egg, then pulse through 2 tbsp cold water until the mixture forms a ball. Wrap in cling film, then chill for 30 mins.
• Dust a work surface with more polenta, then roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin and wide enough to fit a 28cm tart case. Gently ease into the case, then trim away any big bits of overhanging pastry (leave a little excess sticking up around the edges as the pastry will shrink when cooking). Chill for another 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Place a sheet of baking parchment into the pastry case, then fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins. Remove the beans and parchment, then bake for another 5 mins or until the pastry is golden. Leave to cool a little. Use a serrated knife to trim away any bits of overhanging pastry, then place the pastry case on a baking sheet.
• Reduce oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Whisk the eggs and cream with a little salt. Arrange the ham, tomatoes and watercress in the case, then pour around the egg mixture. Cook for 30 mins, just until the egg has set. Can be made up to 1 day ahead and chilled.