LEEK AND FOUR CHEESES

Leek and Four Cheeses Flan

Well it is a bit of a cop out, Thermomix consultants received this recipe earlier in the month, but I am off to Darwin and Alice with Cyndi O’Meara come Sunday morning, I have the flu (will not get sick, will not get sick) and of course life stops for  no one…so here you go; Yummy, seasonal and easy…and churned out in a bumper week of recipe development…did I mention I love my job??

Leek and Four Cheese Tart

NEED:

Pastry;

75g Parmesan

150g roasted and salted macadamia nuts

210g plain flour

1 egg yolk

Sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste

1tsp mustard powder

65g ice cold water

Filling;

2 leeks cleaned and roughly chopped

30g butter

Sprig fresh thyme, foliage only

50g white wine

300g cream

300g mixed soft cheeses of choice (we recommend taleggio, feta and gruyere)

3 eggs and 1 egg white

DO:

Preheat oven to bake 200ºC.

Make pastry by placing Parmesan into Thermomix bowl and milling for 20 seconds on speed 8. Add macadamias and mill for 8 seconds on speed 8.

Add remaining pastry ingredients and mix for 10 seconds on speed 4 or until a crumbly mixture forms.

Tip out onto floured Silpat Mat and bring together with hands to form a disc shape.

Roll out and line 24cm deep dish flan tin with removable base. Place into freezer for at least 30 minutes.

Blind bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Set aside.

Reduce oven temperature to 170ºC.

To make filling, place leeks, butter and thyme into Thermomix bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 6.

Scrape down sides of bowl and sauté for 5 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1.

Add wine and cook a further 2 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1.

Cool. Once cooled spread over cooked pastry base and set aside.

Place cheeses into Thermomix bowl and chop for 4 seconds on speed 4. Add cream and cook for 5 minutes at 100ºC on speed soft or until cheeses have melted and blended with cream.

Insert Butterfly and add eggs and white and beat for 2 minutes on speed 3.

Add seasoning to taste and pour over leek mixture. Bake for 30-35 minutes, turning the heat down if necessary to prevent browning. The centre should still be somewhat wobbly as it will continue to cook when removed from the oven.

Serve warm or cold with a fresh salad.

For an extra little tweak, try adding some halved cherry tomatoes, fresh spinach or asparagus after the leek mixture underneath the custard.

SO kids, I’ll try and get something fresh and unseen up here next week…in the meantime I have plans that involve a swimming pool, new bathers and heaps of lotion…Northern Sun, here I come!