ONION TART
The chef André Soltner served this classic warm onion tart almost every day for 43 years at Lutèce, his world-famous restaurant in New York City. It was for a whole generation the pinnacle of elegant French cuisine in the United States, and yet the tart is straightforward and uncomplicated, rustic and refined all at once. Let the onions slowly caramelize - don't hasten the cooking by jacking up the heat - and you will be rewarded with a haunting savory-sweet tart in the end that is still irresistible decades later, the very definition of an enduring classic.
Provided by Gabrielle Hamilton
Categories brunch, dinner, lunch, pies and tarts, vegetables, main course
Time 1h45m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Blend flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Scatter butter over flour, top with lid and pulse 12 pulses to cut butter into flour to a coarse meal consistency.
- Dump butter-flour mixture into a medium stainless bowl. Make a well in the center and pour ice-cold water into the well.
- Using a flexible plastic dough scraper instead of your warm hands, bring the dough together by folding and pressing. Be firm and brisk and get the dough past its shaggy stage into a neat disk, trying to avoid using your hands or too much kneading. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Meanwhile, cut the onions in half and peel them. Slice the halves with the ribs (root end to sprout end direction), not against, to create julienne slices rather than half moons.
- In a wide sauté pan over medium-low heat, melt the bacon fat and slowly sweat the onions until they are caramelized. Take all the minutes you need - 25 or so - to let them soften to translucent, then to let the water they release start to evaporate, then to allow the sugars they contain to start to brown in the pan, so that you end up with soft, sweet and evenly browned onions. This is achieved by a slow caramelization. Set onions aside to cool.
- Roll tart dough out to a 1/4-inch-thick round, and drape over a round 10-inch fluted false-bottom tart pan. Lay dough into the pan, gently pressing into the bottom, and roll the pin across the pan to cut off the excess dough. Use your fingers to press the edges into the flutes, accentuating the shape of the dough edge. Dock the bottom of the dough with the tines of a fork, weight the pastry with beans or weight and blind-bake for 25 minutes.
- In a bowl, beat the egg with the cream. Stir in the caramelized onions. Season with pepper, nutmeg and salt to taste. Stir well, and make sure the onions are all evenly coated with the custard.
- Remove tart shell from oven, and slip it onto a baking sheet. Remove weights, fill with the onion-custard mixture and distribute it evenly. Return tart to oven on the sheet, and bake for 25 minutes, or until custard has set, the tops of the onions start to achieve a deeper brown and the dough is dark golden brown at the edges.
- Remove from the ring, and allow to cool just a few minutes on the rack, so that the piping hot tart shell can kind of tighten up enough to be sliced with a sharp chef's knife. (In the first few minutes straight out of the oven, the dough is kind of soft from the heat, possibly giving you the false impression that you have a soggy tart. Let it sit on the rack just to shake off this initial soft stage and to recrisp and refirm, which it will.) Cut into wedges, and serve while hot.
CARAMELIZED ONION, FIG & GRUYERE TART WITH FRESH THYME
Rich, sweet caramelized onions, the sweet bite of fig jam, and pungent thyme go oh-so perfectly together in this easy savory tart made on store-bought puff pastry. It's a vegetarian-friendly addition to any holiday party menu, but meat-eaters won't be able to keep their mitts off of it either.
Provided by Kare for Kitchen Treaty
Time 1h10m
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Lay thawed puff pastry sheet on a floured surface and roll until approximately 10" wide and 16" long. Carefully transfer puff pastry to a baking sheet. Trim edges if desired for a neater look, and prick the pastry several times with a fork.
- Bake the puff pastry sheet for about 10 minutes until puffed and golden. Remove from oven.
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, heat the olive oil and butter until melted. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until soft, golden brown, and caramelized, about 40 minutes. Add thyme, garlic, salt, pepper, and vegetable broth to the onions and continue to cook over medium-low heat for about five minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
- Carefully spread 1/3 cup fig jam over the puff pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Evenly spread the onions over the top, then sprinkle with the Gruyere cheese.
- Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 - 5 more minutes or until the cheese melts.
- Garnish with additional thyme leaves and serve immediately. This tart may be made several hours ahead and reheated before serving, but I recommend baking it right before serving, otherwise the pastry gets a tad soggy.
WARM ONION TART WITH THYME
These little warm onion tarts are lovely amuse and get any winter meal off to a good start. Vary them with different kinds of onions. Julia Child has commented that cooking would be in a sorry state indeed if it weren't for onions. I agree!
Provided by Rick Tramonto
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Peel and cut the onion in half through the root. Trim the ends and then julienne the onion lengthwise.
- Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15minutes or until the onion is a deep golden brown. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Peel and cut the onion in half through the root. Trim the ends and then julienne the onion lengthwise.
- Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15minutes or until the onion is a deep golden brown. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Unfold the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured work surface and turn over to prevent the creases from splitting. Pat down gently to flatten the sheet.
- Using a 1-inch round fluted cookie cutter, stamp out 6 rounds and transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
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