Onion and Smoked Salmon Tart

Last night's dinner was really an excuse to have more of our home smoked salmon. To be honest, it's more of a "ladies who lunch" kind of dish, but with a big green salad along with a couple of tall cool gin and tonics (each), we called it dinner.

I know it's early for us to be into the G & T's already this week because we usually save 'em for Pink Mountain Fridays, but we needed to de-stress and celebrate a bit. You see Max made it through yet another surgery yesterday. It appears as though his mast cell tumor has returned although we'll know the results for sure next week when the lab finishes with the analysis.

About the tart, made with a puff pastry shell filled with lightly caramelized onions, coarse ground black pepper, eggs, sour cream and goat's cheese after 20 minutes in the oven, it's garnished with lovely sweet chunks of smoked salmon just before serving, along with a touch of red onion and a splash of dill. The filling is creamy without being cloyingly rich or cheesy which means the salmon really shines as the main event. It's quite wonderful.

When the Big Guy called on his way home last night to ask what his tastebuds were in for, we were trying to name a country of origin for the dish but had to be satisfied that it was a tart fashioned by a Canadian, with pastry from France, out of smoked salmon popular with the British and all made in America. After reading all of that if you think we might have too much time on our hands, you may just be right. LOL 

Smoked Salmon Tart (inspired by Coastal Living Magazine)

2 tablespoons butter

1 large sweet onion, chopped

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup soft goat cheese

2 eggs, beaten

1-1/2 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper, divided

6 ounces smoked salmon, broken into chunks

1/4 cup minced red onion

Fresh dill for garnish

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Lightly roll out sheet of puff pastry onto parchment paper, smoothing out folds in pastry. Roll approximately half an inch of pastry edges to form a lip on the tart. Refrigerate until needed.

Meanwhile melt butter in large sauté pan. Add onions and cook until onions are lightly caramelized and a golden brown. Set aside to cool. Beat together sour cream, goat cheese, eggs and 3/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Fold in cooled onion mixture.

Preheat oven to 425. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 teaspoon of black pepper over pastry shell. Evenly spread onion mixture over top, leaving approximately a quarter inch of space between filling and crust edge. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until crust is golden and filling cooked. (Filling may puff up during baking, but will fall as it cools. Top with salmon and red onion. Garnish with fresh dill. May be served warm or at room temperature. Download Smoked Salmon Tart

A year ago - Hunter Style Chicken (Cacciatore)

Two years ago - Peach and Blueberry Cake

Comments

[Lea]

Luscious! I want some, please - I would just like to think of it as a JBug original - even of you did have a suggestion to go on!
Our poor little Maxer dawg - I hope the tests are good news and not bad news..........

[Mary from Apron Strings & Wedding Rings]

Another great "Canadian" dish from a great Canadian chef! POOR MAX! Sometimes, a wonderful gin & tonic with the Hubby is quite appropriate and really quite lovely on certain days, June. THIS PIE LOOKS & SOUNDS WONDERFUL! Hugs, Mary L.

[June]

Lea - thanks my friend. We'll just pretend it's an original. I really loved the texture of the onion filling and will be using it for other "quiches" in the future. LOL As for our little Maxer dawg, he's sleeping on the desk right now. We just have to keep our fingers crossed.

Mary - it was certainly appropriate yesterday and the good news is today is Pink Mountain Friday so we get to do it again. Yippy!

[Lorraine]

Our four footed friends are so special. I will be hoping for good news. This tart sounds perfect for a summer brunch.

[June]

Thanks Lorraine. You're right, our little fur buddies are the best!

[pam]

The gin and tonics have been in heavy rotation here too.