Ingredients
Roasted beetroot and onion tart with creme fraiche dressing
Method
Roasted beetroot and onion tart with creme fraiche dressing
1.Heat the butter in a medium saucepan and cook the onions over a gentle heat for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
2.Add the beets (cut the larger ones into quarters or halves), balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, thyme, seasoning and reserved liquid. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until syrupy and glossy. Cool, cover and chill until required.
3.For the dressing, simply whisk crème fraîche, honey, orange zest and juice until smooth and pourable.
4.When ready to serve the tarts, preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a tray with baking paper.
5.Arrange the tartlet shells on the tray and divide the beetroot and onion mixture between the tarts. Bake for 10-15 minutes till pastry is golden and beets hot.
6.Serve on warmed plates garnished with Parma ham and rocket leaves. Spoon over dressing to finish.
For the savoury pastry shells we used ready-rolled pastry, lined individual tart tins and baked until golden, but you could use quality store-brought ones. Pastry shells can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container. This is my cheat’s beet tart. I use beetroot from the tin but you can cook parboiled baby beets if you like. Adding a tangy dressing with a hint of honey and orange and a few strips of crispy Parma make this dish restaurant quality. – Jo Wilcox
Note
