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Courgette tart with crispy oysters and oyster cream

Preparation time
less than 30 mins

Cooking time
30 mins to 1 hour

Serves
Serves 2

By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

For the tart

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for brushing
  • 1 white onion, roughly chopped
  • 100g/3½oz ready-made puff pastry
  • 2 courgettes, thinly sliced into rounds
  • few sprigs fresh chervil and tarragon, to garnish
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the crispy oysters

  • vegetable oil, for deep-frying
  • 2 free-range eggs, beaten
  • 50g/1¾oz panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 oysters, freshly shucked

For the oyster cream

  • 40g/1½oz unsalted butter
  • 1 shallot, peeled and diced
  • 2 fresh tarragon sprigs
  • 2 tbsp white wine
  • splash white wine vinegar
  • 4 tbsp double cream
  • 6 oysters, freshly shucked and juice retained

Method

  1. To make the tart, heat the oil in a frying pan and add the onion. Sweat for 25 minutes and then blitz in a blender or food processor to a purée.

  2. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Roll out the puff pastry to a saucer-sized circle. Stab all over with a fork and place on a baking tray. Spread the onion purée on top and layer the courgettes in a circular fashion, leaving a small border around the edge and working in towards the centre. Brush with some oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the pastry is golden and risen.

  3. To make the crispy oysters, preheat a deep fat fryer to 180C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Place the egg and breadcrumbs in wide, shallow bowls. Dip the oysters into the egg and then the breadcrumbs. Deep fry the oysters for 2 minutes and then transfer to kitchen paper to drain.

  4. To make the oyster cream, heat 25g/1oz butter in a frying pan and sweat the shallots and tarragon until soft. Add the wine and vinegar and cook until the liquid is reduced to a tablespoon or just under. Add the cream and any oyster juice and bring back to the boil. Cook until the liquid is reduced by a third then add the oysters and remove from the heat. Remove any tough tarragon stems and blitz the mixture in a blender or food processor. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the remaining 15g/½oz butter at the end.

  5. Garnish the tart with sprigs of chervil and tarragon and the crispy oysters. Serve with the oyster cream on the side or poured over the top.

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