Holly's radish tart

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A tart that encompasses all the sights, smells and flavours of an English country garden during springtime, Richard's tart is inspired by his daughter Holly, who grew her own radishes in the garden. The wafer-thin pastry case is filled with garlicky cream cheese, radishes and herbs, before being topped with a set vinegar and radish jelly. Finished with herbs and flowers, it's as pretty as it is delicious.

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First published in 2021
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Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Jelly

  • 2 radishes, washed and roughly chopped
  • 125g of rice vinegar
  • 125g of cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • agar agar, as needed (no more than 4g)

Green oil (optional)

  • 50g of radish leaves, (tops) or mixed herbs
  • 100g of rapeseed oil

Tart filling

Tart cases

  • 2 sheets of feuille de brick pastry
  • 1 egg yolk, beaten

To finish

Equipment

  • 8cm tart tins 2
  • Piping bag and nozzle

Method

1
The green oil is optional – you could just use regular rapeseed oil if you like – but if you’re planning to make it then you’ll need to do it a day in advance. Blitz the radish tops (or herbs) and the oil together in a blender for 5 minutes until bright green. Place a muslin cloth (or j cloth) into a sieve set over a bowl, then pour the oil into it. Leave to strain overnight
  • 50g of radish leaves, (tops) or mixed herbs
  • 100g of rapeseed oil
2
The radish jelly can also be made in advance. Place all the ingredients (apart from the agar agar) into a pan and gently bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and set aside for 30 minutes to infuse
  • 2 radishes, washed and roughly chopped
  • 125g of rice vinegar
  • 125g of cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
3
After 30 minutes, strain through a fine sieve and weigh the liquid. Add 1.5g of agar agar per 100g of the liquid, then add to a pan and place over a high heat. Bring to the boil, whisking well, then boil for 2-3 minutes. Pour the liquid onto a shallow tray lined with cling film, then set aside to set (which should take around 30 minutes). Reserve in the fridge until needed
  • agar agar, as needed (no more than 4g)
4
To make the filling, preheat an oven to 160°C/gas mark 3. Place the garlic cloves on a sheet of foil and drizzle with rapeseed oil, season with salt and pepper, then wrap tightly. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes until soft
5
Meanwhile, place the radishes in a food processor and pulse a few times to create an uneven chopped mixture (you could also do this with a knife). Place in a bowl and season with salt, pepper, a little lemon juice and some of the green oil (or regular rapeseed oil). Cover and place in the fridge until needed
6
Once the garlic cloves have roasted, allow to cool then crush into a paste. Add roughly 1 teaspoon (or more or less, depending on how much you like garlic) to the cream cheese, then stir in the chopped herbs. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste, then transfer to a piping bag and reserve in the fridge until needed
  • 200g of cream cheese
  • 2 tbsp of mixed herbs, chopped
7
To make the tart cases, heat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3. Lay the first sheet of pastry on a work surface and brush liberally with egg yolk. Lay the second sheet on top, then press down all over. Using your tart case as a guide, cut the pastry around it, ensuring there is plenty of overhang. Push the pastry into the case, then use the second case to push it in further and secure it in place. Trim the excess pastry
  • 2 sheets of feuille de brick pastry
  • 1 egg yolk, beaten
8
Place the 2 cases in between 2 trays – one on the bottom, another on top – and cook in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until golden, then very carefully remove the crisp pastry from the cases. Depending on the number of tart cases you have, you will need to repeat this step several more times to get a total of 4 tart cases, but this can be done in advance and the pastry cases stored in an airtight container if needed
9
You now have all the elements needed to assemble the tarts. Pipe a thin layer of cream cheese into the base of each tart
10
Spoon over a layer of the chopped radishes, then top with a layer of finely sliced radishes and season with salt, white pepper and rapeseed oil
11
Use the tart cases to cut the set jelly into the correct shape, then lay these on top
12
Finish with the flowers and herbs and serve immediately
First published in 2021
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With a background in classical cooking in Michelin-starred kitchens, Richard Bainbridge returned to his home city of Norwich to open Benedicts, a renowned restaurant which serves Norfolk produce cooked with passion, playfulness and creativity.

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