Ideal for wowing guests at summer soirees.
Celeriac might seem like an outlier here, but it’s a juxtaposition which just works so well with the light spring/summery flavours of tomato and asparagus. It will feel like you’re using a lot of olive oil to cook the tomatoes, but fear not; it doesn’t end up in the final dish!
What’s more, the leftover oil will be infused with a basil, tomato and garlic flavour – great for making bruschetta, dressings for salads or veg and for using as a dip for fresh bread on another occasion. It can be kept in the fridge for up to a month.
- Preparation time: 20 minutes + chilling
- Cooking time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Serves: 4-6
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
½ small celeriac (about 200g)
2 tbsp olive oil
110g pack fine asparagus
1 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar, to serve
Wild rocket leaves, to garnish
For the shortcrust pastry
270g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
160g coconut oil
1 tsp salt
For the confit
2 x 500g packs cherry tomatoes
2 x 25g packs basil
450ml (approx) olive oil
3 cloves garlic
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. For the shortcrust pastry, add the flour, coconut oil and salt to a food processor and blitz until it resembles breadcrumbs, then mix in 3 tbsp cold water until a dough forms. Dust a little flour on the work surface and knead the dough for a minute to bring it all together. When smooth and supple, wrap and set aside in the fridge to rest for 15 minutes.
2. Base line a 23cm x 25cm x 3cm deep, loose-bottomed pie or flan tin with baking parchment. Flour the work surface and roll out the pastry to 0.5cm thick, between 2 pieces of parchment, then carefully lift into the tin. Press the pastry into the edges of the tin, then trim it, ensuring it comes slightly over the edges. Cover the dough with parchment and baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and beans, and bake for a further 5-10 minutes until cooked through. Set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, reduce the oven to 150°C, gas mark 2. Add all the confit ingredients to a medium ovenproof dish that only just holds the tomatoes – the oil should come at least one-third of the way up the tomatoes. If not, add more oil. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the tomatoes are soft. Remove carefully from the oven and drain through a large sieve over a bowl to collect and keep the oil (see tip, right). Set the tomatoes aside, removing the garlic and basil when cool enough.
4. While the tomatoes are cooking, trim and peel the celeriac, and cut into thin slices about 0.5cm thick. Coat in 1 tbsp of oil and a pinch of salt and place on a baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes, or until tender.
5. Heat a pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil over a high heat, add the asparagus to the pan and reduce the heat to medium, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes, moving the spears often, to cook evenly. Remove from the pan.
6. Layer the celeriac slices on the pastry base, then spread over the tomato confit and top with the asparagus. Pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and scatter with rocket. Serve immediately.
Recipe courtesy of Waitrose & Partners
