Brittany seafood tart

Ingredients

• 15g unsalted butter
• 2 baby leeks, white stems sliced
• 250g shelled fresh scallops, cleaned
• 2 tsp brandy
• 250ml double cream
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 250g Gruyère cheese, grated
• ½ tsp cayenne
• ½ tsp paprika
• 100g cooked shelled mussels
• 150g cod or haddock fillet, skinned, boned and cubed
• 1 x blind-baked shortcrust pastry case in a 23cm diameter, 3cm deep tart tin
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C)/350°F/gas mark 4.

Melt the butter in a frying pan, then add the leeks and let them soften over a gentle heat. Put them to one side.

In the same pan, colour the scallops over a medium to high heat for 1–2 minutes without overcooking them. Reduce the heat to medium, add the brandy and flambe (see tip below), then remove the scallops from the heat and put them to one side.

Put the cream into a large bowl and add the tomato puree, garlic, eggs, cheese and spices. Season with black pepper only since Gruyère cheese is already very salty.

Place all the seafood, including the raw fish, in the cooked pastry case. Add the leeks. Cover with the egg mixture and bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes, or until nice and golden.

Serve warm from the oven, with a fresh herb salad of dill and spinach with a tangy lemon and olive oil dressing.

Cooking tip

To flambé (meaning 'flamed' in French), first make sure your pan is over a low to medium heat, add your alcohol to the pan at arms-reach, then light the lip of the pan with a long match or taper. Stand well back as the flames ignite and leave for a few seconds for the alcohol to burn off.

From Tart It Up published by Mitchell Beazley.