Mushroom and Spinach Tart

I find that the sheets of puff pastry you can buy are really versatile, especially for things like tarts, savoury tarts making excellent dinners.
For today's Mushroom and Spinach Tart, I soften about half a packet (150g) of mushrooms cut into quarters with a couple of sliced onions in a frying pan with oil and butter. Meanwhile, I wilt a packet of spinach (around 200g), drain and set aside. Once the mushrooms and onions have soften I add some chopped parsley, tarragon and seasoning, as well as the spinach, then turn up the heat while stirring to lose the excess liquid. Placing the pastry on greaseproof paper on a baking tray, I lightly score a border the width of a finger and dot inside it with soft cheese before piling the mushroom mixture on top. After 20 minutes in the oven I get a vegetarian midweek dinner that even a carnivore would devour hungrily...

Warm Smoked Mackerel with Broad Beans and Tarragon

I'm cooking dinner for Her and I today, which shakes me from a little run of home cooking laziness to do something a little different, in this case Nigel Slater's Warm Smoked Mackerel with Broad Beans and Tarragon.
I curse myself when just starting to double pod the broad beans as I remember what a time consuming process it is! Nevermind though, as my first forkful of the finished dish remind me why it's worth it; I especially like how you can taste every component of the dish. The smoked fish and pancetta are the big flavours here, but there's also the freshness of the beans combined with the savoury base from the spring onions and a creamy finish. Stabs of subtle aniseed from the Tarragon compliment the creamy sauce.

Warm smoked mackerel with broad beans and tarragon