One of our favourite people, Domini Kemp, popped into studio with some suggestions of what to cook if you find yourself doing the same old things over and over.
She also provided some useful picnic tips... Is there anything food-related the woman doesn't know about?!
Thyme, onion & Gruyere tart
You need a 27 cm tart tin with removable base. Serves 8-10
Pastry
130 g butter
200 g flour
1-2 tbsp iced water
Filling
100 g butter
Approx 6 medium Spanish onions (1.3 kg), peeled and sliced
salt & pepper
250 ml double cream
1-heaped tbsp Dijon
2 eggs, beaten
4 egg yolks
Springs thyme
Salt& pepper
200 g Gruyere, grated
1. In a food processor, mix the butter and flour and when it's formed fine crumbs, add in enough water until it forms a ball, then wrap the pastry in cling film and chill down for an hour while you get started o the filling. You will need to preheat the oven to 180 C, so bear in mind.
2. Melt the butter in heavy based saucepan with a snug lid and sweat the onions, ever so slowly, for at least 25 minutes. They’ll need to the odd stir and they should shrink down by at least half. Try not to colour them. The steam that gets trapped in the saucepan and the low heat should help keep them sweating rather than sautéing. Season really well, then remove from the heat and allow cooling down.
3. Roll out your pastry between two sheets of parchment paper. You will not have a lot of excess pastry. Line the tart case, and then cover with scrunched up parchment/baking paper and fill with dried beans and bake for about 25 minutes. Carefully remove the paper and beans and then cook for another few minutes to dry out the tart shell. By this stage, the onions should be cool enough. Add the cream, Dijon and thyme and stir well. Then add in the eggs and egg yolks. Season lightly and then mix in about a third of the Gruyere. Put the tart case on a baking tray and then fill with the onions at first, to distribute evenly and the ladle or spoon in the liquid.
4. We didn’t get the entire filling it in at fist, so don't overfill as it will leak all over the oven. Sprinkle the Gruyere on top and bake for 20 minutes by which stage you may be able to top up with a little more filling. Bake until just set which is about 35-40 minutes in total. Let it cool down and rest. It will keep on cooking. This is best served whilst still warm or room temp.
