Sorrel Tart Recipe

Early spring sees the start of the season for growing sorrel. Similar to spinach but with a more lemony, acidic flavour and a much paler colour, sorrel is versatile. It is suitable for use in soups, salads and sauces. Here at Lochiel, we also enjoy using it in pastas for staff meals. The recipe below sees sorrel being used to create a beautifully light savoury green tart with a smooth texture and a bright green colour. Topped with a salad of dill, flaked smoked trout and tomatoes and a simple dressing of olive oil and lemon juice, it is suitable for a light summery lunch enjoyed with a glass of sauvignon blanc. Smoked trout is available as a whole fish in supermarkets or at fish mongers in vacuum sealed packets. Remove the skin to start, then remove the flesh, being careful to remove the bones which can be quite sticky. Flake the flesh into pieces. Alternatively, you might like to use sliced smoked ocean trout or smoked salmon, cutting the slices into small pieces.

Sorrel Tart with Flaked Smoked Trout, Dill & Tomato Salad

For the shortcrust pastry:

180g cold unsalted butter, cubed
240g plain flour, sifted
5g salt
1/4 cup iced water

1. Add the salt to the plain flour.
2. Rub in butter to make a breadcrumb consistency.
3. Add iced water and mix until all ingredients are wet.
4. Knead to form a rough dough.
5. Chill for 45 minutes.
6. Roll out to size of flan tin. Press into a flan tin, allowing for shrinkage, cutting off any rough edges.
7. Blind bake for approx. 30 minutes in a fan-forced oven at 200 C until golden.
8. Cool.

For the filling:

300g fresh sorrel leaves
1 brown onion
125ml double cream
5 whole eggs
1 tbsp butter
salt & pepper to taste

1. Finely chop and sautee onion in the butter until soft.
2. Add sorrel and toss over a gentle heat until wilted.
3. Puree in a food processor.
4. Add salt and pepper.
5. Whisk eggs and cream together in a bowl, then whisk in the sorrel puree.
6. Bake at 150 C for 12-16 minutes or until mixture is set all the way through.

For the salad:
.
One bunch fresh dill
1 whole smoked trout, flaked, bones removed
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
Lemon juice & extra virgin olive oil for dressing
Salt & pepper

1. Pick the sprigs from one bunch off dill, removing stalks. Place in bowl.
2. Add flaked trout and halved cherry tomatoes.
3. Squeeze lemon juice and enough olive oil to dress ingredients.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Mix to combine.
6. Serve with sorrel tart.

Sorrel Tart with Cherry Tomatoes & Baby Herbs

Sorrel flourishing in our garden