Smoked Haddock & Quail Egg Quiches
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Ingredients
Smoked Haddock (approx. 2 portions)
6 quail eggs
1 small leek, halved lengthways then thinly sliced into half circles
150ml milk
2 bay leaves
250g puff pastry
5g tarragon leaves, finely chopped
120ml double cream
Flour
1 egg
1 tsp mustard powder
Zest of 1 lemon
Method
Mini smoked haddock quiches in crusty pastry with a quail egg poached on top
1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees. In a saucepan cook the leeks (with a knob of butter) on a low heat with the lid on until they are soft.
2. Remove the leek and set aside. Don’t wipe the saucepan you used for the leeks, just pop in the haddock. Add the milk, bay leaves and some black pepper. Bring the milk to a simmer and poach for 6 minutes, so the fish still holds together but is slightly flaky.
3. In a measuring bowl whisk the double cream, mustard powder, tarragon and lemon zest.
4. Roll out the puff pastry and cut into 6 thin rounds (not too thick or it won’t have time to cook). Place in a greased muffin tin.
5. Now fill the quiche cases. First put a small teaspoon of leeks into the bottom of each pastry case, then some flaked haddock and top up with the cream mixture. Leave a little space at the top of each quiche for the quail egg. With a small knife crack each shell with the long edge, then carefully pierce the membrane with the knife tip. Crack an egg on top of each quiche.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a deep golden colour on top. Leave in the muffin tin for at least 5 minutes to firm up, then serve up with a garden salad.
