Herb and mustard butter

From issue #3.
Photography by Photography by Aaron McLean.

INGREDIENTS

200 grams very soft butter
3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, eg parsley, tarragon, chives, sage
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 very finely chopped shallots
3 cloves garlic, crushed
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 225ºC.

Cut the pastry into 6 x 18cm circles and lightly score a 2cm border with the point of a knife. Place on a baking tray and lightly prick the base with a fork.

Slice any large mushrooms into pieces and take off any woody stalks. Combine the butter ingredients, mash well with a fork and season. Mix the butter through the mushrooms until they are well coated. Divide the mushrooms between the pastry rounds, piling as many as possible on each. Don’t worry if they won’t all fit, just pile the rest on after the tarts have been in the oven for about 10 minutes. Brush the borders with egg yolk.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the mushrooms are cooked. Serve hot. Makes 6 tarts