Recipe
August 28, 2015
Yellowfoot Chanterelle & Goat Cheese Tarts
Hugh Acheson shares his recipe for Yellowfoot Chanterelle & Goat Cheese Tarts.
“There once was a grumpy but immensely talented chef who taught me a lot about cooking and living — mostly how to be his polar opposite if I wanted to enjoy life. But a tiny mushroom canapé was one little morsel he made so darned well, and that’s what this tart is based on…You can serve these warm or at room temperature for a nice fall lunch, with a simple salad and some crisp pear. You can most certainly use any great mushroom you find at the market if chanterelles are hard to come by.”
Directions
Yield: Makes four 4-inch tarts
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a smooth floured surface. Roll it out with a rolling pin, pressing firmly in the center and rolling outwards, going from the middle of a clock to 12, middle to 3, middle to 6, and so on. The end result should be a ¹⁄8- to ¼-inch-thick round about 13 inches in diameter. Cut four 5-inch- diameter rounds out of the dough with a circle cutter, and poke each one in a number of places with a fork to create tiny holes so it won’t puff up too much during baking. Place the dough in four 4-inch tart pans, pressing it against the bottom and sides. Fill each tart with dried beans to weigh down the dough, place them all on one baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool, and discard the beans.
3. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium- high heat. When the butter bubbles and froths, add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the chanterelles and thyme sprig, and cook for 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are golden brown, glistening from the butter, and wilting a bit. Season the mushrooms with salt to taste. Pour the mushrooms onto a plate and let them cool while you build your tarts.
4. Crumble the goat cheese evenly into the cooled tart shells. Evenly disperse the mushrooms on top, discarding the thyme sprig. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, cream, nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon salt, the parsley, and the pine nuts. Whisk well to combine. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the mushrooms.
5. Place the tart pans back on the baking sheet and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the egg has set and the crust is cooked through. Let cool for a couple of minutes before removing from the tart pans. Serve warm or at room temperature.