Fragile – handle with care..

The addition of the above caveat to a parcel, emotion, relationship or political situation will rarely induce the suggested care in those who are commissioned to handle it. Such a warning demands that it should be examined roughly and shaken hard, so that the sound of it breaking can confirm its advertised fragility. We succumb to the irresistible temptation to judge for ourselves just how fragile might be this object that has been signally pointed out as weak and vulnerable. Testing its fragility to breaking point is our default setting which accounts for a great deal of the woe that surrounds us.

As it would be too enervating to continue in that vein, I thought I might introduce you to a deliciously fragile raw salmon tart.

Warm, crunchy tart of raw salmon and thick cream with melted onions

 Serves 6

300gms puff pastry
2 fillets of fresh salmon (1.5kg)
200gm thick cream
60gms butter
Salt and pepper
2 egg yolks

Heat the oven to 200C.
Chop the onions finely and sweat them in butter over a medium heat without letting them brown, for 30 minutes. Drain with a sieve. Once cooled, mix the onions into the cream and season well.

Slice the salmon fillets very, very finely. You will need a very good knife – a serrated ham knife works extremely well.

Roll out the pastry  and paint, twice over, with the egg yolks. Once the coating has dried, bake the tart for 10 – 12 minutes until the pastry is brown and brittle ( brittle is very like fragile, so remember what I wrote earlier in this post!)  Cool the pastry on a rack.

Spread the cream and onion mix over the crisp, golden puff pastry, which should still be warm from the oven.  On top of this place the sliced raw salmon. Dill or fish eggs can be added, if you like, but I think it works best as it is.

I can’t remember where I originally found this recipe. I sincerely apologise for not crediting the author.