Wild mushroom, blue cheese and watercress quiche

As autumn marks the shedding of leaves and signals of coming winter months, it brings with it a flora of wild mushrooms to enjoy with it. These delicacies deliver unique tastes and textures for soups, sauces, as snacks and especially when paired with a great cheese.  
As seasonal gifts from your local forests and hillsides, their unmistakeable earthy and nutty flavours work wonders next to the intensity of classic blue cheese. Together, their soft flavours and unmatched richness provide the ultimate pie-filling, making our recipe for wild mushroom, blue cheese and watercress quiche a must-try. 

Mushrooms and Lurpak® go together like salt and pepper – combining rich flavours of toasted hazelnuts from a golden-brown coating of caramelised butter, this elegant pairing is a celebration of the senses.  
Begin by searing the mushrooms in a hot dry pan. The high heat browns the mushrooms while driving off excess moisture. Add 4 tablespoons of Lurpak® butter to the saucepan and let mushrooms and butter mingle, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with a touch of salt and pepper to finish. Vibrant and packed with flavour, fresh mushrooms are best served immediately after cooking.

To make the pastry, tip the flour and butter into a bowl, then rub together with your fingertips until completely mixed and crumbly (this can also be done by pulsing in a food processor until a breadcrumb consistency). Add the egg yolk and 4-5 tsp of cold water, then bring everything together until just combined. Shape the pastry into a round and press down gently to create a disc shape. Cover with cling film and chill for half an hour in the fridge.  

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a round about 5cm larger than a 23cm tin. Use your rolling pin to lift it up, then drape over the tart case so there is an overhang of pastry on the sides. Push the pastry into the corners of the tin, prick the bottom a few times with a fork and chill in the fridge or freezer for a minimum of 20 mins. 

While the pastry is chilling, heat the butter in a pan and on a high heat cook the mushrooms for 5 minutes or until soft. Reserve the cooking juices. 

Line the tart case with a large circle of greaseproof paper or foil, then fill with baking beans. Blind-bake the tart for 20 mins, remove the paper and beans, then continue to cook for 5-10 mins until golden brown. When the tart case is removed turn the oven down to 180c/160c fan. 

Beat the eggs with a fork in a bowl, then gradually add the cream. Stir in the mushrooms, half the cheese and all the watercress. Season, then tip the filling into the tart case. Dot with the rest of the cheese and bake for 30-35 mins until set and golden brown. Leave to cool in the case and remove when fully set (this will help to stop the quiche from collapsing).