Salmon and leek tart and a chat about wholefoods

You probably have heard the term wholefoods thrown about quite a lot recently but as you are probably aware, there is nothing too new about it.  This is primarily because our grandmothers were all on a wholefoods diet and secondly, because it turns out that the term was actually coined in 1960.  A wholefood approach simply meaning using ingredients that are as unprocessed as possible.  Think less white food with the exception of onions and cauliflower.  The theory goes that in general the more processed a food is, the more the nutrients are stripped away.

I find it quite interesting that something that used to be so normal is now considered hip and counter-cultural.  It has become quite an art to put a meal on the table that doesn't contain any form of preservative or added sugars thanks to the industrialization of food production.  Although I find it most enjoyable to put in a little more effort and cook from scratch, I realise that wholefood cooking can be much harder for people that are pressed for time and on a limited budget. That is why in general, we are aiming to share recipes that don't contain ingredients that are too hard to get your hands on, aren't too expensive and don't require too much effort.  In saying that from time to time we will put in recipes that might cost a little more than others or take a little bit more time just for a little bit of fun.  This in one of those times as salmon and goats cheese can be a little expensive at times.  We assure you it does taste good though.

Petite Kitchen, a blog by Eleanor Ozich has taken New Zealand by storm since it was birthed two years ago.  It is a beautifully styled and photographed piece featuring delicious and healthful, wholefood recipes that warm the cockles of my nutritionist heart.   I adapted this gluten-free  salmon tart recipe of hers using ingredients that are currently in season.  The best bit is the almond meal tart crust.  It is very simple and quick to make and the only extraordinary (if we would even call it that) ingredient used in the crust is the almonds.

Salmon and leek tart
You'll need:

Tart shell:

2 1/2 cups ground almonds

4 Tbsp olive oil 
3 Tbsp water 
1/2 tsp sea salt

Filling:
1 leek finely sliced
100g smoked salmon  pieces

50g goat cheese 
a handful of thyme
juice of half a lemon

rind of 1 lemon
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup cream
salt
pepper

To make: 

Tart shell:

Preheat your oven to 180°C, and line a tart tin (or cake tin if you don't have one) with baking paper. 

Combine the ground almonds, olive oil, water and salt in a food processor (or feel free to mix in a bowl). Press the dough evenly in to the tart pan.

Prick the bottom of the tart shell over with a fork so that the pastry doesn't puff up.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until light brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly.

Filling:
Put a lug of olive oil in a medium pan and fry the leek with a little salt and pepper.  Once soft, add cream if desired and let reduce. Set aside and let cool.

Mix eggs, thyme, lemon juice, lemon rind, leek salt and pepper in a bowl and pour over the tart shell.

Top with salmon pieces and chunks of goat cheese.  Return to the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden on top, and cooked through.

Makes 8 small portions.