Mark Hix recipe: Field mushroom tart

Serves 4

Try to buy evenly-sized, medium field mushrooms for this, as they fit nicely on to the tart and ensure things look neat and appetising. If you can't get them in a size that fits the tart, make the tart fit the mushrooms by cutting it down to size with a sharp knife.

4 butter puff pastry rectangles, rolled to 3-4mm and cut to about 8x10cm
4 medium-sized, meaty field mushrooms
A little rapeseed or vegetable oil for cooking
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crumb topping (optional)

For the mushroom duxelle

2 shallots, peeled, halved and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
A good knob of butter or a tbsp of rapeseed oil
100-120g button or open cup mushrooms, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Dock the pastry with a fork to prevent it rising, place on a baking tray and bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven.

First make the mushroom duxelle, melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan and gently cook the shallots and garlic for a minute without colouring; add the chopped mushrooms, season and cook gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, cut each of the field mushrooms into 4 or 5 slices on the angle, heat the oil in a frying pan and carefully cook the slices for about a minute on each side, seasoning them lightly as they begin to cook.

To assemble, spread the duxelle on to the tart cases, then arrange the mushroom slices on top, season, brush with a little oil from the pan and bake for 8-10 minutes in the oven at the same temperature as before. Again you can use the crumb topping, if you wish – just add it a couple of minutes before removing the tart from the oven and it will crisp up nicely and give added texture.