Recipes

Kale, blue cheese, pecan and maple syrup tart

Photograph: Emma Jervis

Carmel Somers
Sat Jan 20 2018 - 06:00
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • Pastry for tart base
  • 275g flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 large pinch of sugar
  • 175g butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
  • 120ml cold water
  • Filling
  • 32cm baked tart shell
  • 400g kale
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 350ml (12 fl oz) cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 150g blue cheese
  • 8 pecan nuts, chopped
  • Drizzle of maple syrup

We always have tart on our lunch menu at Good Things, and I do them in class to show students how flavours work together. This tart came about when one morning the only vegetable in the fridge was kale. This is a great way to use up that blue cheese lurking in the back of your fridge or freezer.

First, make the pastry by mixing the dry ingredients together. Rub in the cold butter and then add in the water to bind it gently together. Let it rest for at least 20 minutes. Take a 32cm tart tin with a removable base, and line it with the shortcrust. Bake blind, and allow to cool.

Set the oven to 180 degrees and bring a pot of water to the boil. In the meantime wash the kale well and remove the leaves from the stalks. Roughly chop the leaves and finely chop the stalks.

Cook the stalks until tender followed by the leaves. Allow to cool and give it a squeeze to remove excess water.

Crumble the cheese and spread it on the baked tart case and scatter the kale on top.

Make the custard by beating the eggs and cream together and season lightly.

Pour the custard over the kale and even it out all over. Scatter the pecans on top and drizzle with the syrup.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until just set.

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