Iowa Maytag Tart Blue Cheese Tart Food

SAUTEED CALVES LIVER WITH BACON, ONION AND MAYTAG BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium high heat. Lightly flour liver and place in pan and sear for 5 seconds and flip. Add arugula and garlic and quickly saute Deglaze with balsamic vinegar and serve over onion tart, recipe follows.
• For the Tart: Render diced bacon until crispy. Add butter, onion, rosemary and cook until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Roll out dough and plate filling in middle and top with blue cheese. Fold over edges and bake in a preheated 500 degree oven until golden brown, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with calves liver.

PEAR, WALNUT & BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• To make the pastry, blitz the walnuts in a food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs. Add the flour and a large pinch of salt. Pulse briefly to combine, then add the butter and pulse until it resembles large crumbs. Add the egg yolk and pulse until the dough comes together (add 1 tbsp cold water if it seems dry). Squash the dough into a disc, then wrap in baking parchment and chill for at least 30 mins.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 5. Heat the butter and 1 tbsp oil in a heavy-based frying pan or skillet over a medium heat, and cook the shallots, sage and chard stalks for 5-8 mins until soft and starting to caramelise. Add the chard leaves and continue to cook until wilted, then remove from the heat.
• Put the chilled pastry between two sheets of baking parchment and roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use it to line a 20cm tart tin, then chill for 30 mins until firm. Toss the pear slices in 1-2 tsp oil on a baking sheet.
• Scrunch up a sheet of baking parchment and use it to line the pastry case, then fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins, alongside the pears. Remove both from the oven. Remove the parchment and beans from the pastry case, then bake for 8-10 mins more, until the bottom is golden and crisp.
• Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl, then season with some nutmeg and whisk in the crème fraîche. Stir in the cheese. Pour half the mixture into the tart case, then layer in two-thirds of the chard mixture. Arrange the roasted pear slices and remaining chard mix on top, then pour over the remaining custard. Dot over the walnut halves, then bake for 28-30 mins, or until golden and cooked through. Leave to cool for 20 mins, then slice and serve.

FRENCH ONION AND BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Start by cooking the onions. They need to be cooked slowly on low heat, so it's best to begin with those.
• Melt the butter in a large nonstick frying pan-we have a load of onions to cook. When the butter has melted, pick off the thyme leaves and add, then add the garlic and onions. Mix everything together.
• Now add the pepper, salt, and sugar and mix. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you have onions that look like the kind you would only eat with a burger in a Sunday market at 6 a.m.!
• While that cooks, start on the pastry. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with some parchment paper or use the paper the pastry comes in and roll out the pastry onto the sheet.
• Using a knife, score a smaller rectangle ½ inch/1cm inside the pastry rectangle, making sure not to cut all the way through. Pierce the inner rectangle with a fork all over to allow the steam to escape when it bakes.
• Brush the edges with the egg and bake for 20 minutes, until golden all over.
• Take out and, using the back of a spoon, push down all the puffed-up pastry of the inner rectangle, creating a nice neat border.
• Take the blue cheese and crumble all over the inner rectangle of the pastry. Add the onions and scatter them all over till you have an even layer. Now bake for 15 minutes.
• Take out and let cool for 10 minutes before eating, sprinkled with the chives.

PEAR AND BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Pate Sucree:.
• Cream together the butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla on medium speed using a paddle attachment, scraping down the bowl periodically, until smooth and light in color. Be careful not to overcream the mixture. Add the eggs and yolks gradually, scraping down the bowl and blending until smooth after each addition. Add the flour all at once and mix on low speed until just blended.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Scale the dough as desired. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before rolling. The dough can be held under refrigeration or frozen.
• Filling:.
• On a floured work surface, working in batches, roll out the pastry dough 1/8- to 1/4-in/3- to 6-mm thick. Cut out 12 circles 6-in/15-cm in diameter. Line 12 individual tart pans 5-in/13-cm in diameter with the dough. Trim any excess dough from the edges. Chill for 30 minutes to an hour.
• Preheat an oven to 400°F/204°C Lay a small square of aluminum foil inside each tart pan and fill it with dried beans to weight the dough during baking. Blind bake the tarts 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 350°F/177°C and bake 5 more minutes. If the edges of the tart start to brown too quickly during the baking process, line the edges with aluminum foil. Once the crusts are finished baking, remove the foil and beans, prick the bottoms with a fork, and set them aside to cool, leaving them in their molds.
• Divide the almonds evenly and sprinkle into the bottom of each crust.
• Place one pear half on your work surface at a time. Working with your knife at a diagonal, slice each half crosswise into 1/4-in/6-mm slices. Arrange the slices of one pear half evenly over the almonds.
• Place the cheese in a food processor and mix until smooth. Add the cream, sugar, and eggs. Mix for about 30 seconds, or until the mixture is smooth. Scrape the bowl down periodically while mixing. Divide the mixture evenly over the pears in the crust, scraping the bowl out with a rubber spatula. Spread the mixture gently with a rubber spatula to make sure it covers everything fairly evenly.
• Bake the tarts in a 350°F/177°C oven for 35 minutes, or until set.
• Allow the tarts to cool slightly before removing them from the molds. Slice the tarts and serve them warm.

FIG & BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• First make the pastry. Tip the flours into a food processor with ½ tsp salt and the diced butter. Pulse until you can't feel any lumps, then tip in the walnuts. Mix the egg yolks with 3 tbsp cold water, then dribble this into the machine while you pulse again until the pastry comes together. Tip the pastry out onto a floured surface, lightly bring it together into a ball, then roll out and line a deep 20-23cm tart tin with overhang. The pastry may crack, but just patch it back together, then cover and chill for 1 hr.
• To make the filling, melt the remaining butter in a large pan, then add the shallots and soften for 10-15 mins, until golden and squishy. Stir in the thyme for 1 min, then remove from the heat. Beat the eggs in a jug with the crème fraîche and cream. Crumble in the cheese and season with pepper and a small amount of salt.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Blind bake the pastry for 20 mins, remove the baking beans and paper, then bake for a further 15-20 mins until golden and sandy. Reduce the oven temp to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Add the cooled onions to the cream mixture and pour into the case. Sit the fig halves on top, cut side up, sprinkle with some more thyme and bake on the middle shelf for 1 hr-1hr 10 mins until the tart is browning and has a slight wobble - the cheese middle will firm up on sitting. Cool for about 15-20 mins, then remove from tin and serve with a green salad.

BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F Place flour in large bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in water with fork until flour is just moistened. Shape into a ball. Roll out pastry on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle.
• Place into 9 or 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom or pie pan; press firmly on bottom and up sides of pan. Cut away excess pastry; prick all over with fork. Bake for 17 to 22 minutes or until very lightly browned.
• Meanwhile, combine cream cheese and blue cheese in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Continue beating, gradually adding whipping cream, egg and ground pepper until blended. Spread into baked pastry. Sprinkle with roasted red pepper, pine nuts and parsley.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until filling is set. Let stand 20 minutes before serving. Cut into wedges. Cover; store refrigerated.

HEIRLOOM TOMATO & BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400.
• On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into a circle a scant ¼-inch thick and about 10 ½ inches in diameter. Transfer it to a 9-inch tart pan. Pat into the bottom and sides and trim the edge so it's even with the rim. Freeze for 15 minutes.
• In a small bowl, using a fork, crumble the cheese and mash together with the milk, starting with ½ tablespoon, until the consistency is spreadable but still has some lumps. May need up to 2 Tablespoons. Set aside.
• Slice tomatoes about ¼-inch thick. Blot with paper towels to remove most of juices; set aside.
• Remove pastry from freezer. Bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool about 15 minutes.
• Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the bottom of the pastry. Cover with the tomato slices in a tightly packed single layer. Sprinkle with the pepper and thyme and drizzle with the olive oil.
• Bake until the crust is deeper golden brown and the tomatoes have collapsed, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let stand for 20-30 minutes before serving.
• To serve, gently slide a knife around the edges, then remove the bottom and place the tart on a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve warm or room temperature.

MAYTAG BLUE CHEESE AND POTATO TARTLETS

Steps:

• Make pastry:
• Blend together flour, salt, and butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle evenly with 3 tablespoons water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in processor) until incorporated.
• Squeeze a small handful of dough. If it doesn't hold together, add up to 1 tablespoon more water, stirring (or pulsing) until just incorporated, then test again. (Be careful not to overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.)
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough portions together with scraper and press into a ball, then flatten into a 6-inch disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Fill and bake tartlets:
• Put oven rack in middle position |and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut potatoes into ¼-inch-thick slices and cover with cold water by 2 inches in a 1-quart saucepan. Simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
• Whisk together cream and yolk until combined.
• Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll out each piece into a 5-inch round with a floured rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, then fit each into a tartlet pan. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/4-inch overhang, then fold overhang inward and press against side of pans to reinforce edge. Chill shells until pastry is firm, at least 10 minutes.
• Arrange about 4 potato slices, overlapping slightly, in each tart shell and crumble 2 tablespoons cheese into each. Divide cream mixture among tartlets, filling to 1/8 inch from top. Sprinkle each tartlet with 1/4 teaspoon each of thyme and rosemary and season lightly with fleur de sel. (If your sea salt is very coarse, lightly crush before sprinkling.)
• Bake tartlets on a baking sheet until bubbling and golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pans on a rack 10 minutes, then remove from pans and serve warm.