Epicure Recipe Card #1: Salmon & Avocado Tartare


My lower back has been giving me grief on and off for the past couple of weeks so cooking motivation has been decreased, along with being short on time whilst attempting to be Superwoman (I have a mug that says so) with trying to fit in work, watching Masterchef almost every evening and maintaining a social life. Luckily my mother-in-law sometimes leaves portions of food in our fridge which makes things a bit easier for me, otherwise I’d always be making half-arsed attempts at cooking these recipe cards like on this occasion.

These easy and potentially elegant little nibblies are suggested to be served on corn chips or tart cases. My pantry being devoid of both, I thought I’d just cut up a sheet of shortcrust pastry for the bases and stick them in the oven. I had good intentions of stamping out rounds and pressing them into patty cases, and then – out of dread of even having to think about washing up a patty pan afterwards – threw the whole notion away in favour of just chopping the shortcrust pastry into squares. You can tell I was in a lazy mood as I hacked the sheet of shortcrust into nine massive squares instead of more dainty portions.

Well it was just a snack for the husband and I so we didn’t mind, and I always enjoy the creamy nuttiness of avocado contrasted with salty smoked salmon no matter what its shape or form.


Salmon & Avocado Tartlets
(adapted from The Age – Epicure 50 Best Recipe Cards, recipe by Jill Dupleix)

Ingredients:
·         100g smoked salmon
·         ½ avocado, peeled & cubed
·         1 tbs lime or lemon juice
·         1 small red chilli, deseeded & finely chopped (optional)
·         1 sheet of store-bought shortcrust pastry, cut into squares of desired size
·         50g salmon roe (optional)

Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
  2. Finely chop the smoked salmon. Toss with avocado and juice then set aside. (Mix in chilli if using.)
  3. Place squares of pastry on a lined oven tray and bake until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for a few minutes before using.
  4. To serve, divide salmon and avocado across pastry squares and top with salmon roe. Chopped parsley or dill or small dollops of mayonnaise can also be added on top if desired. 
happy cooking!

11 comments:

  1. If the mug says so then you are!!

    For something you have just whipped up and hacked away at, that is one tasty looking snack. Feel free to be lazy for me any day!

    Take care of that back and recover soon

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  2. You sound so busy! I think it's cool that you still have the energy to make these little snacks! I don't think that's lazy at all =] And the looks delicious- they're elegant enough as they are =]

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  3. You poor dear! Hope you are feeling better. Your 'snacks' are very elegant, they'd be perfect for a party :)

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  4. Very cute little tarts. These look delicious. Hope your back gets better soon.

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  5. Hope you get better soon! This recipe is great party food and perfect finger food while watching masterchef.

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  6. My kind of recipe for sure, I love this. The hacking part is my kind of thing too ;) They don't look hacked at all though!

    Hope the back starts behaving itself soon! xx

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  7. It's a pain to have a sore back! Hope you are feeling better soon! Anyway, the tarts look delicious - I like how you cut them into squares instead of using the tart shape!

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  8. They look pretty easy and very yum - a great combo :)

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  9. from these pics, cutting the shortcrust pasty into squares works - no need to cut out rounds :) do be careful with your back, hope it gets better!

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  10. Hey Sara, love my 'Superwoman' mug - makes me feel all the mightier! Back is coming along slowly...today's my first day trialling without painkillers.

    Hey Von, they're lovely little party bites and easy to make too!

    Hey Betty, thanks =) You eating fish at the moment?

    Hey Bel, thank you! And the back is slowly on the mend.

    Hey Mark, haha, my very pared down version of these tarts! And thank you =)


    Hey Ellie, heheh, because there's nothing that gets us hungry like Masterchef!

    Hey Conor, hacking also = rustic/fluid/organic. Call it what you like =p

    Hey Trissa, back has full movement again so it's definitely much better.

    Hey Anita, very, very easy!

    Hey Panda, back is just aching every now and again so hopefully just a little way to go now, so thank you.

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