Shallot Tarte Tatin With Whipped Goats Cheese And Watercress Recipes

SHALLOT TARTE TATIN WITH GOAT'S CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the shallots into a heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. Leave for 10 mins, then drain and peel.
• Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan. Add the shallots and fry gently for 10-15 mins until softened and lightly browned. Stir in the vinegar and sugar with leaves from 2 thyme sprigs for a few mins until caramelised. Turn off heat and season.
• Tear remaining thyme sprigs into a few pieces and scatter over the base of a 22cm ovenproof shallow pan, cake or tart tin without a loose base. Tip in the shallots with all their sticky juices. Roll out the pastry until it's big enough to cut out a roughly 26cm circle. Lift the pastry circle onto the shallots, then tuck the edges down the inside of the pan. Bake for 25-30 mins until pastry is golden.
• Leave tart for 5 mins to settle, then turn out of the tin. Dot with rounds of goat's cheese and slice into wedges.

SHALLOT TARTE TATIN WITH WHIPPED GOATS' CHEESE AND WATERCRESS

Steps:

• Season the shallots lightly with salt and white pepper. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oil and the butter and cook until foaming. Add the shallots and cook until caramelised.
• Drain off the butter and return the shallots to the heat. Add the vinegar and cook until it has evaporated. Add the Madeira and cook until it too has evaporated.
• Add a little chicken stock, reduce to a simmer and place some parchment on top. Gently cook until the shallots are getting a little soft. Remove from the heat and leave to rest and suck up all the flavours.
• For the balsamic caramel, put the sugar in a saucepan. Add a little water and stir so it's like a paste. Slowly bring to the boil (CAUTION: boiling sugar is extremely hot. Handle very carefully.). The liquid will boil clear and very slowly it will start to turn amber.
• When the sugar syrup is golden, remove from the heat and at arm's length add the balsamic. Leave for a few moments, then whisk in the butter until the sauce has a butterscotch consistency. Season with salt and pepper and taste; it may take a little more balsamic to cut the sweetness and a little more seasoning. Set aside.
• For the whipped goats' cheese, put the cheese in a food processor with the paddle attachment and turn the processor on to slow. Add a little cream just to lighten the consistency (you may not need it all). Add a little lemon juice to taste (reserve the zest for garnish). Spoon into a bowl and cover with cling film, then set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• Spoon the caramel into four blini pans to lightly cover the bottom of each pan. Add some thyme to each pan, then add the shallots.
• Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thick and cut out four circles just larger than the blini pans. Place the pastry over the shallots and, using the end of a spoon, push it into them all the way around. Make a small hole in the middle. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until cooked through.
• Leave the tarts for 10 minutes to soak up all that wonderful flavour. While they are still warm, turn them out onto a plate and serve with a spoon of the goats' cheese in the middle of each tart. Top with watercress, a little olive oil, the lemon zest and chives.