Luso chef shares Portuguese fish pâté and mushroom tart recipes

Two elements central to Portuguese eating culture — couvert and pastry — are the inspiration behind two recipes from Luso restaurant. Head chef Kimberley Hernandez presents a smoked fish and vegetable paste and a mushroom tart that reflect those traditions; Hernandez is head chef at Luso, London W1.

The smoked fish paste is built from undyed smoked haddock or cod poached in milk with bay leaf, then combined with gently cooked onion, carrot, fennel, garlic and peppercorns, blended smooth and folded through flaked fish. The recipe notes optional white wine, an optional tablespoon of crème fraîche for a softer spread, and an optional chilli oil to finish.

The paste makes about 300g and will keep for up to three days in a sealed container in the fridge. The mushroom tart begins with a mushroom caramel of shallot, chestnut mushrooms and light soy sauce, then uses ready-rolled puff pastry as bases. Several mushroom varieties — king oyster, shiitake, oyster, chestnut or button and maitake (or extra shiitake) — are seared separately, layered over the caramelled base and baked until the pastry is golden and crisp.

The recipe gives oven temperatures and timings, yields two servings and says the tart can be served hot or at room temperature with a crisp green salad.

Key Topics

Culture, Luso, Kimberley Hernandez, Fish Pâté, Mushroom Tart, Smoked Haddock