Tartlets with mushrooms in cream

This is a super simple dish that looks beautiful and tastes wonderful. The appetiser usually sets the tone for the rest of the dinner and has been a crowd-pleaser. I typically do not make cream-based dishes, but this is an exception because it has a small amount of cream and fatty puff pastry.

The mushrooms are gently cooked in a cream sauce with a hint of thyme and a burst of fresh parsley. The flaky puff pastry is terrific with the filling. If you cannot find crème fraîche, you can mix cream and yoghurt; see note for instructions. I could quickly eat a dozen of these.

This is a wonderful cookbook about a Danish chef who introduces us to the country's old and modern dishes. Filled with beautiful photographs and recipes, it is a lovely addition to my library.

For more recipes from this beautiful cookbook, click here.

Photo credit: Nisha Bilgrami.

Ingredients:

Ready puff pastry

1 egg lightly beaten

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 lb mushrooms: Button mushrooms are fine, washed and sliced

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup crème fraîche, or see note

Juice of 1/2 lime

Parsley, minced for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Roll the puff pastry out a bit and cut it into 2-inch rectangles. Score half the puff pastry with a lattice pattern and use these as the lids. For the bottom pieces, poke with a fork all over to prevent them from puffing up too much. Brush lightly with the egg. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden and puffed. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Heat the butter on high heat in a frying pan and add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the liquids have dried up and the mushrooms begin to get some colour. Add the crème fraîche and cook on low flame until the sauce thickens about 1-2 minutes. Mix in the lime juice and taste for salt and tartness. Remove from the heat.

Spoon the hot mushroom sauce to the bottoms of the baked puff pastry. Top with the lids, garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

NOTE: If you cannot find crème fraîche, you can substitute two tablespoons of yoghurt and 1/3 cup of cream. First, cook the yoghurt with the mushrooms until they are dry again. Add the cream and cook until the sauce thickens.