Every year, without fail, I mourn that the holidays are over. While taking down our Christmas ornaments, putting away the stockings and cleaning up pine needles, I go into a temporary funk that this most joyous time is over, again. Although I know it comes every year, I truly love the magic of Christmas, the giving, caring mood everyone is in, the lights on houses and the merriment that accompanies the season. Sure, there are other things to look forward to, but nothing like Christmas. Part of the enjoyment is also that every day feels like a special occasion. While I was reflecting on this and figuring out how to use my leftover pie dough, I realized that Sunday evenings, with a well prepared dinner, feel celebratory.
I am definitely not alone in this. Sunday roast comes immediately in a quick google search of ‘Sunday dinner’ as does countless other recipes. If anyone mentions Sunday dinners at Grandma’s or Sunday dinners in the South, there is often admiration and nostalgia in their voice. All of us have the same idea, a slow cooked meal of observance, filled with intentioned cooking. A civilized dinner, if you will, with the finer dishes, the souped up sides, various beverages and hopefully, company. While these dinners would never replace my favorite holiday season, I want my Sunday Dinners this year to hold some of the same ideas, the merriment and the pure enjoyment of food and company.
Of course with any Sunday dinner, you can’t forget the vinyl. While conversation and wine are flowing, Arthur Russell’s cello in the form of Another Thought is a wonderful companion. I find the warm, intimate songs on this album will help mirror the same emotions for your dinner. Enjoy this savory tarte, a glass of fine wine, a quality vinyl album and hopefully, good company on your Sunday eve.
Unfortunately Spotify doesn’t have this album on their list. Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL92xkD8zsBsZf42BmVTsvbRmz9XpqWGA4
Roasted Vegetable Tarte Tatin
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 1 Yukon Gold potato, sliced into 1/2″ thick slices
- 1 Sweet Potato, sliced into 1/2″ thick slices
- 1 Beet, sliced into 1/2″ thick slices
- 2 carrots sliced into 1/2″ thick slices
- 3 tbsp avocado oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 Tbsp water
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 sprigs of rosemary, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 5 oz of goat cheese or feta cheese
- 1 round of pie dough (see notes for recipe)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Take the potatoes and carrots and toss with 2 tbsp of the avocado oil. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Keep the beets separate so they don’t color the other vegetables. Mix them with 1 tbsp of avocado oil in the same bowl as used for the other veggies. Place these on a baking sheet (it can be the same one if you have room) in a single layer. Roast all of the veggies for 15 minutes, turning and then roast for another 15-20 minutes until you see the edges turning golden and all veggies tender. Leave the oven on.
- Place the sugar with 3 Tbsp of water in a sauce pan and place over medium heat. You will essentially make a wet caramel, swirl the sugar water over heat for 12 minutes or until you reach a light amber color. (Use your nose here, if it starts to smell burnt, it is and will affect the taste of the whole tarte.) Take the pan off the heat once it reaches a beautiful amber, add the red wine vinegar and swirl the pan so the caramel combines with the vinegar. Move quick here, pour this into a pie pan and tilting, rotating and maneuvering, cover the bottom of the pan with the caramel. Sprinkle the rosemary and sage into the caramel.
- Take the roasted vegges and place them into the pie pan and caramel, alternating veggies, filling the whole bottom space of the pan. The more you vary the colors, fill in spaces with carrots or smaller coins of veggies and keep your veggies touching without over crowding, the better the outcome will be. Place a second layer of veggies on top of the first, this layer doesn’t need to be as artistic.
- Place red onion evenly on top of the veggies and sprinkle the 5 oz of cheese on top.
- Roll out the pie round so that is it larger than the pie dish is, about 10-12 inches. Place the dough over the pie dish and onto the veggies, tuck the extra pie dough edges inside. Using a fork, prick the pie dough all over.
- Bake the tarte for about 20 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees. Continue to bake the tarte until the crust is a golden brown about 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, let rest a few minutes. Taking a plate (and using oven mitts) placed over the pie pan, invert the tarte onto the plate in on swift motion. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
If you have leftover pie dough (from the holidays) or if you keep your scraps, this a great use for them and will make quick work.
Pie dough recipe: I use the Sister Pie dough recipe. The apple cider vinegar helps to keep the crust tender. http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/sister-pie-crust
Serve with a nice glass of red, a big green salad and hopefully guests! Unfortunately this doesn’t make for the best leftovers and is best day of.
This recipe was inspired by Bon Appetit’s Root Vegetable Tarte Tatin.