Red Fox and Spring Vegetable Quiche

1 hr 35 mins 8

Ingredients

For the pastry
  • 500g/17.5oz block shortcrust pastry
    100g/3.5oz Belton Farm Red Fox Cheese
For the filling
  • 500g/17.5oz of asparagus
    300g/10.5oz peas
    15g/0.5oz salted butter
    1 banana shallot
    1 garlic clove
    3 egg yolks
    1 egg
    200ml/0.8 cups double cream
    200g/7oz Belton Farm Red Fox Cheese, grated
    sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
    30g/1oz dill
    30g/1oz parsley, leaves torn
    30g/1oz mint, leaves torn

The Cheese

Red Fox

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6.

  2. Roll out the dough thinly on a lightly floured board or work surface, grate over the cheese and fold in the pastry inwards to form a rough rectangle. Roll out again to a 25cm circle about the thickness of a £1 coin (about 3mm) – the pastry should be flecked with the cheese.

  3. Carefully use the pastry disc to line a well-greased 20cm, loose-bottomed fluted tart tin, pushing the pastry into the edges and grooves. Chill the tart case in the fridge for 20 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile blanch the asparagus and peas in boiling water for a couple of minutes, then refresh in cold water.

  5. Prick the base of the chilled tart case all over with a fork, then line it with scrunched-up baking paper and pour in some baking beans or uncooked rice. Blind bake the pastry case for 20 minutes, until lightly golden, then remove the paper and beans and return the case to the oven for a further 5 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the tin, trim to neaten the edges.

  6. Turn the oven down to 180°C.

  7. While the tart case is cooling a little, make the filling. In a pan, add the butter and cook the shallot and garlic for about 10 minutes, until soft but not coloured. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool, then add the egg yolks, egg, cream, grated cheese and most of the herbs to the bowl (reserving a few to garnish). Give it all a good mix to break up the eggs and combine the ingredients, and season with salt and pepper.

  8. Line the base of the pastry case with the asparagus and peas, then pour in the egg and cheese mixture. Bake the quiche for 25-35 minutes, until the filling is set to the touch and golden brown. Allow to cool slightly, then remove it from the tin to serve topped with the remaining herbs.