CAULIFLOWER-CHEVRE TARTLETS WITH CANDIED BEETS

Cauliflower-Chevre Tartlets with Candied Beets image

Provided by Food Network

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 small beetroot
Cooking spray
1/4 cup sugar
1 pound plain short-crust pastry dough
2 cups cauliflower florets
Salted water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced shallots
Mashed cauliflower
3/4 cup crumbled chevre
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 cup finely snipped chives
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Steps:

Wearing thin medical examination gloves, peel and slice the beet on a mandolin very thinly as if for potato chips. Cut out the desired shape with aspic cutters. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Spray the parchment with cooking spray. Dust lightly with sugar and lay the beet on it. Dust again with sugar. Leave in a pilot-lit oven overnight to dry out. When crisp and dry, lift off the shapes carefully with a metal spatula and store in an airtight container lined with parchment.
Roll the dough 1/8-inch thin to line miniature tartlet shells. Blind bake the tartlet shells for about 8 minutes, in a preheated 325 degrees oven, with another mold inside it to help the tartlet keep its shape and prevent puffing up. Cool on rack.
For the filling: Parboil the florets in salted water until just past crunchy. Drain well. Place back in pan over low heat to evaporate excess moisture for 1 to 2 minutes. Lightly mash the cauliflower with a fork.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Over gentle heat, melt the butter and sweat the shallots until translucent--about 4 minutes. The shallots should not brown in order to keep the final mixture white. Off the heat, add the remaining ingredients. Taste and season. Chill. Fill each tartlet with a spoonful of the cauliflower mixture. Place in oven for 3 minutes, until heated through. Garnish with candied beet chips and grin with pleasure.