Goats cheese, cherry tomato and caramelised red onion tart

A couple of weeks ago, I served a veggie dinner and instead of the normal “where is the meat?” or “that was nice but it would have been even better with a sausage” comments from “the husband” he said "that was actually quite nice"! Whoa, that is praise indeed from a meat loving man who is happy with a vegetarian dish as a side dish, starter or lunch but dinner equals some sort of meat, even if a small amount!
This is an open tart, with no quiche eggy mixture, easy and delicious to rustle up on holiday with the local Chabichou goats cheese.

Goats cheese, cherry tomato and caramelised red onion tart

You will need:
1 Packet of puff pastry
2-3 tblspns  green or red pesto
1 tblspn olive oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1dstspn sugar
200g ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
1-2 red peppers, sliced
250 g goats cheese like Chabichou du Poitou (not soft)
Fresh basil

Method

• Gently heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the onions until soft and starting to caramelise, add the sugar and turn up the heat a bit. The onions should be soft and brownish but not burnt! Put to one side to cool.
• Pre heat oven to 190 degrees (fan) and lightly flour a baking sheet
• Roll out puff pastry thinly to an oblong, place on baking sheet, wet edges and roll over once to form an edge.  Score the pastry lightly inside the edge (not all the way through)
• Spread the pesto over the pastry, then cover with the caramelised onions.
• Arrange the tomatoes cut size up, interspersed with sliced peppers.
• Cube the cheese and sprinkle over, tucking into gaps
• Grind over some black pepper, a pinch of rock salt if desired, and tear some basil leaves
• Bake for 20-25 minutes
• Serve warm with salad

The Poitou Charente region of France produces two thirds of the country’s goats cheese, home to varieties like Bûche du Poitou, Chabi, Mothais and the famous Chabichou du Poitou.Unfortunately I made my tart in the UK so I didn't have access to Chabichou at my supermarket deli counter.

Chabichou is one of the earliest cheeses ever produced in France. Its quality has been controlled since 1990 and its distinctive label declares proudly AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) status. Of the rumoured 350+ cheeses in France only about 50 are protected, I was surprised I thought it would be far more!

Whilst on holiday at White Shutters you can follow the Route du Chabichou et des Fromages de Chèvre   tasting artisanal goats cheese as you go. Have fun pairing local wines, Sauvignon or Gamay du Haut Poitou are best with fresh young goats cheese, and white Pineau des Charentes (the local apéro)with dry goats cheese like Chabichou.

Have fun!

Recipe - Tartiflette or hammed up potato dauphinoise …

It’s January, and summer holidays in France are a little way off, so it must be time for a winter warming French style recipe.

I first had delicious rich creamy and very calorific potato dauphinoise in a mountain hut when skiing as a teenager.  When you’re skiing it’s OK to have a pound of potatoes to a pint of cream!  Now older, rounder and still a potato daupinoise lover I thought (as I had left over half-fat crème fraîche from Christmas, past it’s use by date) I’d try a slightly healthier experiment.  As I had boiled a small smoked ham yesterday and had leftovers, I decided to mix that in too to make a little go a long way and keep the meat lovers in the family happy.  To make it a one pot (well not quite) meal a large leek was also added.

So my doctored hammy leeky potato dauphinoise is a tasty, delicious, filling but not too fattening meal (if using half fat crème fraîche) for all the family in January or any time of year.  Leave out the ham, and substitute onion for the leek in the summer and serve as an accompaniment to barbecued meat or even just a crunchy salad. I do like a meal in the oven that can be left whilst you sip on a pineau des Charentes catching the evening sun. Often us Brits think cheese should be in this dish, traditionally it’s not included but it’s also very good with grated cheddar, emmental and/or parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, especially if hamless.

You will need (to serve 6)

About 1kg medium potatoes, peeled, sliced with a mandolin (be careful!) or finely with a knife, and rinsed in a colandar.  Keep in water if it is taking a while or preparing ahead.
A large leek sliced finely and rinsed, or use a large diced onion.
2 cloves garlic, chopped.
About 3-500ml Milk (will be discarded or use for a white sauce for another dish, doesn’t matter what type)
600ml half fat crème fraîche (or full fat or use double cream)
Diced cooked ham or lardons if liked
Butter
Salt and pepper, paprika if liked

Pre heat oven to 180deg fan (200 deg for WS non fan oven)

1 Put the sliced potatoes in a large pan and add the milk, which should just about cover the potatoes but if you’re a bit short don’t panic.  Gently lift the potatoes a bit with a slotted spoon to make sure they are separated and bring to the boil over a medium flame with the lid on, don’t disappear!
2 Simmer very gently for 5-8 minutes or so, stirring/turning very carefully half way through.  You only want to par boil them, they shouldn’t break up.
3 Grease a large lasagne type oven proof dish and layer up half the sliced potatoes.  Remove the potatoes from the cooking milk with the slotted spoon, carefully, no need to drain properly or dry. Then add half the leeks (or onion), ham and garlic and a good grinding of pepper and sprinkle of salt.  As crème fraîche is very thick, spoon half on now spreading evenly.  If using cream just add when assembled.
4 Repeat finishing with the rest of the crème fraîche, or all of the cream and dot the top with butter.
5 Sprinkle with paprika if using.
6 Bake for 30-40 mins on a baking tray to catch any overflow, the top should be starting to brown. Now turn down the oven to 160 degrees fan (180 non fan) and stir very gently/push the mixture down a bit to make sure it’s cooking evenly and the top isn’t drying out and the cream is throughout the layers and not just sitting on top.  Bake for another 20-30mins, cover with foil if too brown and the potatoes are not quite done.
7 When cooked a sharp knife goes in to the potatoes without any resistance at all, and the top is crispy but never burnt!  This dish will keep happily in a low oven for a while before serving, put a bit of foil on top if over browning.
8 I served with roast butternut squash cooked on another tray for the last half an hour, but any roasted veg would be delicious.

Bon Ap!!!!

Apologies for the photo, as is normal in this house I decided to write up the recipe once we had taste tested as it was my own take on various recipes.  The secret to getting the potatoes to cook without drying out is simmering in the milk first, even if it seems a little wasteful. I can’t remember which chef advocates cooking the potatoes in milk to reduce the starch, but credit to him/her, not me!

I try and add a French inspired recipe to the blog regularly that is easy to prepare on holiday at White Shutters in the large well equipped cooks’ kitchen, or at home if your French gite holiday is a while off yet.  All the cooking equipment and large baking dishes required for up to 12 are available at White Shutters to rustle this up on holiday for a crowd.

Edited to add that this is basically Tartiflette, I had no idea it had a proper name,and tartiflette does have lumps of cheese in it too!  Thanks to my friend Susan in Brittany for the culinary education.

French style Sausage and Puy Lentil Casserole

I adapted this classic French style dish from a recipe in Good Food magazine, September 2010.

Three cooking ingredients I always bring home from our holidays at White Shutters are lots of the cheapest wine for cooking (red and white), chorizo sausage (Intermarché in Aulnay do a fantastic budget one for €1) and big fat garlic bulbs.

Recipe (serves 4)

1 tblspn Olive oil and extra for roasting veg if using

8 good quality pork sausages (or Toulouse!)

1 red onion sliced

2 cloves garlic crushed

1 red pepper sliced

50g chorizo finely diced

250g Puy (green) lentils

300ml veg stock

250ml red wine (cheaper the better!)

Optional Courgettes and aubergines (or similar veg) for roasting

Le Creuset or similar heavy hob to oven pot (provided at White Shutters!)

Serves 4

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees (160 fan)

1 Brown the sausages in half the oil in the Le Creuset on the hob, put to one side (1 pan meal, less washing up!)

2 Add the rest of the oil with the onion, garlic, chorizo and pepper to the pan and sauté for 5 mins

3 Add sausages (chopped if desired), lentils stock and wine and bring to simmering point, stir, cover tightly and put in oven for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Do not add salt at this stage as this stops pulses cooking properly.

4 Chop veggies for oven roasting (if using), toss in a little olive oil and roast on a pre heated sheet for about 30 minutes.

4 The lentils should be soft (not crunchy) when cooked, but this isn't a saucy dish either.

5 if cooked on the hob (very low heat) it will take 30-45 minutes but keep an eagle eye on the pan and add a little more water if necessary. I prefer oven so you can go off and have a sneaky aperitif, or another dip in the heated pool before dinner!

6 Add the roasted veg to the pan, adjust seasoning and stir through and serve. Don't forget a baguette for mopping.

Verdict

I loved it, definitely a "rustique" style dish as the picture shows. The family still prefer sausage and chips, Toad in the Hole or sausage and cauliflower cheese....ungrateful lot, but give it a go. At least they can eat the sausages leaving a beautifully smoky lentil concoction for my lunch the next day.

Bon appetit!