Green Tomato Tarte Tatin Recipes

GREEN TOMATO TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• For pictures see http://outoftheordinaryfood.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/green-tomato-tarte-tatin/ I use a richer dough for this, to make it more substantial and to balance the tartness of the tomatoes. I start with 1 1/2 cups flour, and I add salt, 1/2 t. baking powder, and 1/4 cup very finely grated parmesan. Then I grate in 6 T. of frozen butter, and mix it into a fine crumb. At this point I add one egg, and stir that in. You'll need less ice water to pull this althogether - maybe 1/4 cup. Knead it very slightly, and draw it into a ball. Wrap and store in the fridge until you're ready to use it. Cut the tomatoes into large slices, maybe 1/2 to 1 inch across. Dice a large shallot very finely. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, melt a few tablespoons of butter and a tablespoon of brown sugar. Add the tomatoes and shallots, and stir very gently, letting them get soft and begin to brown. I add a teaspoon or so of thyme. When the sugar and butter start to thicken and reduce, add a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, to deglaze the pan. Cook until the liquid is quite thick and syrupy, and the tomatoes and shallots are soft and slightly brown. At this point, if you had a saucepan that could go in the oven, you would arrange the tomato slices prettily in the pan you sauteed them in. If, like me, you don't have such a pan, you put them in a pie plate, trying to make them look pretty if you have time, or pretending you really want them to be in a wild and messy jumble if you don't. Roll out the dough to be slightly larger than your pan. It doesn't need to be too thin, about 1/4 - 1/3 inch is fine. set it over the tomatoes, and tuck the edges in all around. Bake at 400 for about 1/2 hour, until the crust is brown and the tomato-y juices start to seep out the edges. Turn it out onto a plate, slice, and eat!

TOMATO TART TATIN

Steps:

• Set up your grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only.
• Season the tomato halves with kosher salt and pepper and set aside. Place the sugar in a large enameled cast iron braiser or saute pan over the direct heat side of the grill. Shake out into an even layer and allow to melt then caramelize, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan for any brown bits. Stir in the garlic, onions and thyme, then the parsley and allow the liquid to melt back down. Remove from the heat.
• Place the tomatoes flesh side down on top of the onions. Place on the indirect heat side of the grill, close the lid and vents of the grill (this will make the temperature drop to 225 to 250 degrees F) and bake until the skins are wrinkly and the tomatoes have softened and given up more liquid, 2 hours.
• Brush another large enameled cast iron braiser or saute pan with the butter. When the tomatoes are ready, scoop the tomatoes out of their juices and place them in the buttered pan, cut side up and skin side down. Add the caramelized onions on top of the tomatoes. Using kitchen shears, cut off the square edges of the puff pastry, rounding the edges. Top the tomatoes and onions with the puff pastry round.
• Place the pan on the indirect heat side of the grill, with the air vents open, and cover the grill. The temperature should be around 425 degrees F. Bake until golden brown and the pastry is puffed, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 3 minutes before turning out on to a plate. Garnish with a sprig of basil in the center and sprinkle with flakey salt.

CARAMELIZED TOMATO TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Unfold puff pastry sheet and cut into a 10-inch round; chill, covered, until ready to use.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of sugar and cook, stirring, until onions are golden and caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water and let cook off, scraping brown bits from bottom of pan. Transfer onions to a bowl.
• In a clean, ovenproof 9-inch skillet, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water. Cook over medium heat, swirling pan gently (do not stir) until sugar melts and turns amber, 5 to 10 minutes. Add vinegar and swirl gently.
• Sprinkle olives over caramel. Scatter tomatoes over olives, then sprinkle onions on. Season with thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Top with puff pastry round, tucking edges into pan. Cut several long vents in top of pastry.
• Bake tart until crust is puffed and golden, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, then run a knife around pastry to loosen it from pan, and flip tart out onto a serving platter. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.