This Mustard, Cheese and Red Onion Meringue Tart makes use of a mustard made with tea! It was the Portuguese Princess Catherine who, in 1662, brought Lapsang Souchong tea to England. Her passion for Lapsang Souchong helped to promote the tea in her new home, where the drink became fashionable.
The East India Company’s Lapsang Souchong Mustard is more than a condiment. It has a subtle and smoky flavour which is complemented by the addition of garlic and black pepper. Its tang makes it an ideal ingredient to pair with cheese.
Lapsang Souchong Mustard, Cheese and Red Onion Meringue Tart is a long name for a unique savoury dish that looks like a Lemon Meringue Pie. The pastry base is spread with the mustard and it is also included in the rich filling. The striking topping is simply seasoned egg whites beaten to stiff peaks. It’s a forgiving dish as that topping remains inflated even if your guests are slow to come to the table.
Lapsang Souchong Mustard,
Cheese and Red Onion Meringue Tart
Makes a tart for 4 as a main course or 6 as a starter.
Ingredients:
A 22cm pie dish, oiled and lined with puff pastry or shortcrust pastry. It’s fine to use ready-made pastry, or a ready-made tart shell, but be sure to buy the best quality.
Baking beans
350g red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tbs olive oil for sautéing
2½ tbs Lapsang Souchong Mustard
3 eggs, separated
250ml milk
¼ tsp salt or to taste
150g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
25g butter
30g plain flour
Salt and pepper for seasoning the meringue
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Line the pastry case with cling-film and pour in dried beans or clay baking beans. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove the cling-film and beans and return the tart to the oven for another 5 minutes, or until the pastry is dry. Remove the tart from oven.
East India Company Put the olive oil in a large frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the sliced red onions and sauté till they are opaque and just starting to turn golden. Do not overcook. Remove from the heat.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over moderate heat. Add the flour and combine with the melted butter and cook for a few minutes until the flour is dry and pale.
Slowly add the milk a little at a time, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat, add the egg yolks and stir well. Add the cheese, return to the heat and stir until the cheese is melted.
Remove from the heat, add 1½ tbs mustard and stir well. The sauce should be thick, but add a little more milk if it looks too thick.
Spread the remaining mustard over the pastry base, and top with the onions. Pour over the cheese and mustard sauce and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Turn the oven up to 200°C.
Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and season with salt and pepper. Pile the savoury meringue on top of the tart and put into the hot oven.
Bake until the top is golden. Turn from time to time to ensure the colour is even. This should only take a few minutes.
Remove the Mustard, Cheese and Red Onion Meringue Tart from the oven and serve as soon as possible.
Recipe by Chrissie Walker © 2018