King, a restaurant that opened last September on the corner of King Street and Sixth Avenue in Soho, has quickly become my go-to dining spot after seeing a movie at the Film Forum. The delicious, northern Italian food proclaims chefs Clare de Boer's and Jess Shadbolt's roots, London's legendary River Cafe. The menu changes daily, so there are always surprises, and you can dine there frequently without tiring of the food IF you can get a reservation.
I ate there again on Friday after seeing two Melville movies at the Film Forum. Reminded how good the place is, and once again entranced, I searched the web for King recipes. The only one I found was for Pissaladiere, a classic savory tart from the South of France. I decided to try their version although I already had perfectly good recipes for the dish. I'm glad I did as it was delicious. I plan to make it for a picnic basket and buffet dining -- and to serve small pieces along with cocktails -- as we move into summer.
7 ounces cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 ⅓ cups flour
½ teaspoon fine salt
Pinch of granulated sugar
Ice water
6 large red onions
Maldon sea salt
Cracked black pepper
20 anchovy fillets (we use salted Ortiz, which we rinse and fillet)
1 cup black niçoise olives
1 bunch fresh thyme
Olive oil
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Start by making the dough: Using a food processor, bring together the butter, flour, salt and sugar until it resembles a fine breadcrumb. Slowly add the ice water, a little at a time, until the dough barely comes together.
3. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for two to three hours before using. (This can be made a couple of days in advance and will keep in the fridge.)
4. To make the topping, peel and cut the onions in half. Slice thinly. In a large, wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan, gently sweat the onions in a little olive oil, Maldon sea salt and cracked black pepper, covered with a cartouche. When the onions are soft, remove the cartouche to evaporate the excess liquid. Do not allow the onions to color — they should be soft and intensely sweet but not caramelized. This should take an hour. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.
5. Using a box grater, grate the pastry onto a lined 11-by-17-inch baking sheet. Grating breaks up the gluten strands, which gives you a much thinner crust. Then press the dough into the base to form a thin layer along the bottom of the tray. Cover again and chill for a further 30 minutes.
6. Remove the tray from the fridge and prick the base a couple of times with a fork. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until crisp but not browned.
7. Remove the crust from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Top with the onions and smooth out to form a thin layer. Lattice the anchovies across the top of the onions and place an olive in each square. Sprinkle with thyme, black pepper and olive oil and bake in the oven for a further 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
