SNACK – Fresh crumpets with fried duck egg, mushrooms and pancetta

Fresh crumpets with fried duck egg, mushrooms and pancetta

Picture for illustration only

INGREDIENTS

For the crumpets

7g/¼oz fresh yeast
275ml/10fl oz warm water
225g/8oz plain flour, sifted
7g/¼oz salt
light olive oil, for greasing

For the dressing

20ml/¾fl oz red wine vinegar
125ml/4½fl oz extra virgin olive oil

For the topping

60g/2½oz unsalted butter
150g/5oz piece pancetta, sliced into lardons
20 button mushrooms, cut into quarters
sea salt
1 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil, for frying
4 duck eggs

METHOD

1. To make the crumpets, place the yeast into a bowl and whisk in the warm water.

2. Place the sifted flour in a separate bowl with the salt. Add the yeast mixture to the flour and whisk together until smooth.

3. Cover the bowl tightly with cling film and leave to prove in a warm place for one hour or until at least doubled in volume.

4. Preheat the oven to 170C/340F/Gas 3.

5. Heat a thin layer of light olive oil in a non-stick pan over a low to medium heat.

6. Lightly oil the inside of four 9cm/3.5in diameter by 2cm/0.75in high metal chefs’ rings. Sit them inside the non-stick pan.

7. Pour or ladle enough of the proved batter into each of the four chefs’ rings to come halfway up the sides.

8. Cook the crumpets in the chefs’ rings in the pan until the top has completely set, then remove the chefs’ rings and turn over. Cook for one minute until golden.

9. Transfer to a baking tray, place in the centre of the oven and cook for a further five minutes.

10. Remove from the baking tray and leave to cool on a wire rack until ready to serve.

11. To prepare the finished dish, preheat the grill to medium.

12. Place the vinegar and olive oil into a bowl and whisk together. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

13. Heat a frying pan until hot and add 25g/1oz of the butter and the pancetta and fry for about three minutes until crisp.

14. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and fry for 3-4 minutes or until the mushrooms are golden brown. Add the chopped parsley and a grind of black pepper.

15. Meanwhile, heat a second frying pan until hot and add a little light olive oil until just warm.

16. Crack the duck eggs into the pan, making sure that the yolk is in the centre, and cook gently until the whites are fully cooked.

17. Place the pan under the grill for one minute to warm the yolks.

18. Meanwhile, toast the crumpets until crisp and golden brown.

19. Using an 8cm/3in plain-edged pastry cutter, cut the duck eggs into neat rounds. Season them with a little black pepper and sea salt.

20. Butter each of the toasted crumpets with the remaining butter and place them onto serving plates. Place a duck egg on top of each crumpet.

21. Spoon the mushrooms and pancetta on top of the eggs and drizzle with some of the dressing. Serve.

DESSERT – Custard tart with Garibaldi biscuits

CUSTARD TART WITH GARIBALDI BISCUITS

 

INGREDIENTS
For the Garibaldi biscuits

100g/3½oz butter, melted in a saucepan
100g/3½oz icing sugar, sifted
100g/3½oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
100g/3½oz egg whites
200g/7oz currants

For the pastry

225g/8oz flour, plus extra for dusting
pinch of salt
1 lemon, zest only
150g/5½oz butter
75g/3oz caster sugar
1 free-range egg yolk
1 free-range egg

For the custard filling

9 free-range egg yolks
75g/3oz caster sugar
500ml/17fl oz whipping cream
freshly grated nutmeg

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2. First, make the biscuits. Mix together the butter, icing sugar and flour until smooth. Slowly add the egg whites, stirring, until they are completely incorporated, then fold in the currants. Bring together into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for at least one hour.

3. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface out to 5mm/½in thick. Cut into 12 rectangles – you may have some dough left over. Place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, ensuring the biscuits are not touching each other. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4. Bake the biscuits for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Keep in an airtight tin.

5. For the pastry, rub together the flour, salt, lemon zest and butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, then beat together the egg yolk and whole egg and slowly add these, mixing until the pastry forms a ball. Wrap tightly in cling film and refrigerate for two hours.

6. Turn the oven down to 170C/325F/Gas 3.

7. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 2mm/one eighth-in thickness. Use to line an 18cm/7in flan ring placed on a baking sheet. Line with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans, then bake blind for about 10 minutes or until the pastry is starting to turn golden brown. Remove the paper and beans, and allow to cool.

8. Turn the oven down to 130C/250F/Gas1.

9. For the filling, whisk together the yolks and sugar. Add the cream and mix well. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a saucepan and heat to blood temperature.

10. Fill the pastry case with the custard, until 5mm/¼in from the top. Carefully place in the middle of the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the custard appears set but not too firm. Remove from the oven and cover the surface liberally with grated nutmeg. Allow to cool to room temperature.

11. Before serving, warm the biscuits through in the oven for 5 minutes. Cut the tart with a sharp knife and serve with the biscuits.