Onion Goats Cheese Tarte Tatins Food

CARAMELIZED ONION AND GOAT CHEESE TARTS

Steps:

• In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, add the oil and butter. When the butter is melted, add the onions, sugar, and salt, to taste. Cook until the onions begin to brown. Adjust the heat to low and cook slowly, turning often, until the onions are golden brown and caramelized, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the onions from the heat and set aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a bowl combine the goat cheese, egg, cream, and thyme. Pour the mixture into a small resealable plastic food storage bag. Snip off a corner of the bag to use it for piping.
• Lay the pie crusts out flat on a clean surface and with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter cut out 12 circles from each crust. Press them into the cups of the mini-muffin tin. Fill each cup 1/2 way with the cooled onions. Pipe the cheese mixture on top of the onions, filling the cups. Bake the tarts until the filling is set, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let the tarts cool slightly, and then remove them from the muffin tin and serve.

ONION & GOAT'S CHEESE TARTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Cut the pastry into 4 rectangles and place on a baking sheet. Mark a border 1cm in from the edge of the pastry with a sharp knife. Spoon the onions into the middle, smooth then top with the cheese and thyme. Drizzle with oil and bake for 15-20 mins, until the cheese has melted and the pastry has risen and is golden brown.
• For the onions: Makes 600g, which is 3 batches. Prep time 5 mins, cook time 30 mins. Melt the butter in a large, deep frying pan and stir through the onions. Cover with a lid and cook gently for about 10 mins, until softened. Remove lid, add sugar, then cook 15-20 mins, stirring, until all of the liquid has evaporated and onions have turned golden. Divide into 3 batches to make the recipes, right. Will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.

ONION & GOAT'S CHEESE TARTE TATINS

Steps:

• Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Put the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan and melt over a medium heat. Cook to a dark caramel, occasionally swirling the pan gently to help melt any remaining sugar and get an even colour. Add the vinegar, stir to combine, and pour into the tray, spreading it out. Leave to cool.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Add a splash of oil to an ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat. Lay the onions cut-side down and fry until blackened and just starting to burn, about 5 mins. Add the thyme sprigs, then transfer to the oven and bake for 25 mins. Once the onions are tender, remove from the pan. Space them out evenly, cut-side down, on the caramel and leave to cool.
• Once the onions are cool, cut the pastry into six equal discs, each large enough to cover an onion half. Cover the onions with the pastry, tucking it under slightly. Put the tray in the fridge for 1 hr so that the pastry firms up a bit.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake the onion tarts for 20 mins, then reduce heat to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and bake for 10 mins more.
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Once cool enough to handle, turn the tarts so the onions are now facing up. Lay a slice of goat's cheese on top of each and bake for a further 10 mins. Remove from the oven and sprinkle over a few thyme leaves to serve.

GOAT CHEESE, POTATO AND ONION TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190 degrees Celsius Roll out pastry to fit a deep 23cm loose bottomed tart tin. Wrap pastry carefully around rolling pin and unravel over tart tin. press gently around sides of tin. Chill 30 minutes, then line with greaseproof papter and fill with baking beans. Bake blind 15 minutes. Remove paper and beans and return tin to oven 5 minutes until pastry is golden. Remove tin from oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 180 degrees Celsius.
• Heat butter and oil in a large frying pan and add onions and potato. Cook gently 10-15 minutes, turning every so often until veg is golden and tender. Season to taste, then add garlic and thyme. Cook another 3 minutes. Tip filling into pastry case. Add goat's cheese and spread in an even layer.
• Whisk eggs and creme fraiche together. Season to taste and pour into pastry case. Bake 30-35 minutes until lightly golden brown. You may have to cover edges of pastry with foil half-way through to prevent pastry burning. Tart is done when center is just set. Serve warm.

POTATO, GOAT CHEESE AND CARAMELIZED ONION TATIN

Steps:

• To make the tatin, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round gratin dish. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cumin and cook until golden brown and soft, stirring from time to time, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet, add the potatoes and toss to coat. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Layer the potatoes in the prepared dish. Bake until tender, about 40 minutes. Set aside for 15 minutes.
• Top the potatoes with the goat cheese and then the onion mixture. Place the pastry on a work surface and press out the seams. Cut out a 9-inch circle and pierce it all over with a fork. Place the pastry over the cheese.
• Meanwhile, to make the sauce, melt 2 teaspoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Refrigerate the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add the mushrooms, shallots, garlic, thyme, tarragon and basil and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the Madeira and dry red wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Add the broth and simmer until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes.
• Increase oven heat to 400 degrees. Bake the tatin until the pastry is brown, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the sauce to a simmer. Cut the butter into small pieces. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the butter pieces. Remove the thyme sprig.
• To serve, run a small knife around the edge of the tatin to loosen. Invert onto a plate and cut into 4 wedges. Place 1 wedge on each of 4 plates and spoon some of the sauce around each one. Serve immediately.

CARAMELIZED ONION, MUSHROOM AND GOAT CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Using a mandolin or super-sharp knife, cut onion into paper thin slices. Clean and slice the mushrooms.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat; add onion and saute until caramelized. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Heat remaining teaspoon of oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until they release all their liquid and most of it boils away, should take about 5 minutes. Combine caramelized onions with mushrooms and saute together briefly; season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from heat.
• Unfold puff pastry onto a floured surface; cut in half lengthwise to form 2 long rectangles. Gently roll out each rectangle to approximately 5 by 14 inches and place on cookie sheet. Trim edges by 1/4-inch strips all around; set strips aside. Break 1 egg into a small bowl; beat slightly. Brush edges of pastry with some of the egg. Use trimmed strips to make a raised border on each. Brush entire surface with remaining beaten egg. Prick the interior of pastry all over with a fork. Bake until pale gold, about 10 minutes. If pastry has puffed up inside edge, press it down gently. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, combine remaining eggs with 6 ounces goat cheese and blend until smooth. Spread the mixture onto pastry. Return to oven and bake just until set, about 4 minutes. Add the thyme to the mushroom mixture. Remove cookie sheet from oven and spread with thyme-mushroom mixture. Crumble remaining cheese on top. Just before serving, broil tarts on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until tarts are warm and cheese softens.

GOAT CHEESE AND ONION TARTS

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Cut butter into bits and in a bowl with a pastry blender or in a food processor blend or pulse together with flour and salt until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and toss with a fork or pulse until incorporated. Add enough remaining ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork or pulsing to incorporate, to form a dough. On a work surface smear dough with heel of hand in 3 or 4 forward motions to make dough easier to work with. Divide dough in half and pat each half into a rectangle, about 6 by 3 inches. Chill rectangles, wrapped separately in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour and up to 1 week.
• Thinly slice onions and in a large skillet cook with salt to taste in oil, covered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes, or until softened. Cook onions, uncovered, stirring, until golden and any liquid in skillet is evaporated.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• On a lightly floured surface roll out 1 dough rectangle into a 16 x 6-inch rectangle and fit it into a 13 1/2 x 4 x 1-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Roll a rolling pin over pastry to trim it flush with top of rim and prick bottom of shell in several places with a fork. Make 1 more tart shell in another tart pan in same manner.
• Line shells with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake shells in middle of oven 10 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights or rice and bake shells until pale golden, about 5 minutes more.
• While shells are baking, whisk together goat cheese, butter, and sour cream until smooth and whisk in eggs until combined well. Season custard with salt and pepper.
• Spread onions evenly in shells and pour custard over onions. Sprinkle thyme over custard and bake tarts in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Cool tarts in pans on racks (filling will deflate). Tarts may be made 2 days ahead, cooled completely in pans, and chilled, covered, in pans. Reheat tarts in pans, uncovered, in a 350°F. oven about 15 minutes to crisp crusts. Remove rims from pans.
• Cut tarts crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide slices to make about 32 hors d'oeuvres and, if desired, halve slices crosswise to make about 64 hors d'oeuvres. Serve tarts warm or at room temperature.

CARAMELISED BALSAMIC AND RED ONION TARTS WITH GOATS' CHEESE

Steps:

• First make up the pastry by rubbing the butter lightly on to the flour, then adding the cheese, mustard and cayenne plus just enough cold water to make a smooth dough. Then place the dough in a polythene bag to rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. After that, roll it out as thinly as possible and use a 5 inch (13 cm) cutter, or a saucer or something similar, to stamp out 8 rounds. Line the greased tins with them, then bake in the oven, centre shelf, for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through but not coloured. Then cool the pastry cases on a wire rack and store them in an airtight tin until they are needed. To make the filling, melt the butter in a heavy-based, medium-sized saucepan, stir in the onions, balsamic vinegar and chopped sage, season and let everything cook very gently without a lid, stirring often, for about 30 minutes until they have reduced down and taken on a lovely glazed appearance and all the excess liquid has evaporated away. You can also watch how to chop onions in our Cookery School Video on this page. Then let the mixture cool until you are ready to make the tarts. To bake them, brush a little beaten egg on to each pastry case, pop them back into the oven, same temperature as above, for 5 minutes - this helps to provide a seal for the pastry and helps it from becoming soggy. Now spoon the onion mixture into the cases. Top each one with a slice of goats' cheese and a sage leaf that has first been dipped into olive oil. Finally sprinkle with a little cayenne and bake for 20 minutes.

RED ONION TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F
• Roll the pastry out to a thickness of about 1/4in. Cut out 4 circles about 5in in diameter. Pile the pastry circles on a plate and keep in the fridge till required.
• Peel the outside skin from the onions leaving the base and stalk intact.
• Pour the milk into a small saucepan, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Add the bay leaves and onions and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes until a knife can be inserted into outside layers of the onions easily but the hearts remain crunchy. Drain in a colander.
• Peel off the outer layer of the onion, and halve each one across the middle.
• Pour the red wine into another pan, add the vinegars, rosemary and season with salt and pepper.
• Put in the onions cut-side down. Bring to the boil and simmer for ten minutes, adding the port (if using) halfway through the simmering time.
• As the wine reduces, roll the onions around from time to time, until they are well coated and almost tender in the centre.
• Strain what is left of the red wine reduction and reduce down to the liquid to a thick sauce.
• Put the onion halves on a rack placed over the pan and leave until cold and dry. Trim off the root and stalks.
• Cover each onion half with a circle of pastry. Slightly tuck the edges underneath the edge of each onion.
• Take the pan of reduced sauce and pour a little into each of 4 small tart tins. Place an onion half, in its pastry blanket, on top and cook in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the edges caramelized.
• When cooked, remove the tart tatins from the oven and with a spatula, carefully flip them over onion side up (do not touch the hot caramel!), onto 4 plates.
• Place slices of goat cheese on top of each tart, then return to the top shelf of the oven until melted.
• Serve with wild arugula, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.