Smoked Salmon and Leek Tart

Tonight Jason prepared this Irish dish. It's a smoked salmon and leek tart. I've been sitting here trying to think of what to say about it, but I'm so full I think it's slowing my brain function. The crust is prebaked and then filled with an egg and leek mixture. That is baked further. Once everything cools down (1-2 hours later) it is topped with smoked salmon and chives (we substituted in green onions). Very flavorful. Makes me happy that we spotted the smoked salmon on sale during our last grocery trip so that it could inspire this meal.

Leek and Smoked Salmon Tart

 Crust

1 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp sugar

½ tsp salt

8 Tbsp unsalted butter cut into ½ in cubes

3 Tbsp ice water

 

Filling

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 lbs leeks white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and sliced thin and cleaned

2 large eggs

½ cup half &half

Salt

Ground black pepper

1 Tbsp fresh dill minced

6 oz thinly sliced smoked salmon cut into ¼ pieces

1 Tbsp green onion

1 Tbsp olive oil

 

For the crust, grease a 9 inch two piece tart pan and set aside.  Whisk flour, sugar and salt together in a mixing bowl or food processor.  Scatter the cubes of butter into the flour mixture and cut it until it resembles coarse sand.  Add 2 Tbsp of ice water and mix until dough clumps into larger chumps and no powder remains.  Only add the remaining Tbsp of water if the mixture is not forming clumps. 

Take the clumps and line the Tart pan working from the center and pressing the clumps out to the outside filling all seems and grooves.  Push the excess dough cutting it off the edge of the pan and use it to fill in holes and ad to thin spots.  Place in the freezer on a tray or plate for 30 min. 

Heat oven to 375 with the rack adjusted to the middle position.  Place the frozen tart shell on a baking sheet and press a sheet of heavy aluminum foil into the tart and over the edges of the pan.  Fill the foil with baking weights (marbles, I use dried beans) and bake until top edge begins to brown, about 30 min.  Remove the shell from oven and gently remove the weights and foil.  Return to the oven and continue to bake until the shell looks dry, about 10 min.  Remove and let cool for 5 min.

While crust is baking, melt butter in skillet over medium heat.  Add leeks and ½ tsp salt.  Cook until softened, 10 min.  Take off heat and let cool for 5 min.  Whisk eggs, half & half, dill and ¼ tsp black pepper.  Once cooled stir in leeks then spread mixture into tart shell and bake until filling has set and the center is firm to touch, 20-25 min.  Let cool to room temperature.

Toss salmon, green onions and olive oil.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle evenly over cooled tart.  Slice to wedges and serve.