Rick Stein’s Carrot, Beetroot and Red Onion Tarte Tatin
This jewel-toned savoury tarte tatin from Rick Stein brings together heritage carrots and beetroot on a pastry base for the ultimate vegetarian main. Why not serve it as your centrepiece this Christmas?
From the book
Rick Stein’s Food Stories
The companion to the hit BBC2 series
100 new recipes, from the classics with a twist to new favourites
A celebration of Britain's food scene today
Introduction
I’m sure you’ll love the photographs of this dish. It was so enjoyable assembling all those different colours of root vegetables and by roasting the veg first, the flavours are deepened and sweetened. The carrot top pesto is remarkably delicious too, and I find it very satisfying to use the tops rather than chuck them away.
Ingredients
| 40g | butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing |
| 10–12 | rainbow carrots, scrubbed, trimmed and halved lengthways |
| 3 medium | beetroots, scrubbed or peeled and sliced into rounds 3–4mm thick |
| 4 tbsp | olive oil |
| 2 | star anise, bashed |
| 2 tsp | brown soft sugar |
| 3 large | red onions, sliced |
| 1 | garlic clove, chopped |
| 400–500g | puff pastry |
| flour, for dusting | |
| salt and black pepper | |
| For the carrot top pesto: | |
|---|---|
| Good handful of | green carrot tops, washed and roughly chopped |
| 1 | garlic clove, roughly chopped |
| 30g | vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese, grated |
| 7–8 tbsp | olive oil |
| 15g | pine nuts |
Essential kit
You will need: a 26–27cm round pie tin or ovenproof frying pan, or a rectangular roasting tin measuring about 18 x 25cm.
Method
You will need a 26–27cm round pie tin or ovenproof frying pan, or a rectangular roasting tin measuring about 18 x 25cm. Grease it generously with butter. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C.
Put the carrots and the beetroot slices in a large roasting tin and add the 4 tablespoons of olive oil, the star anise and a teaspoon of the sugar. Season with salt and pepper, then, using your hands or wooden spoons, toss the whole lot together until the vegetables are coated in the oil and seasonings. Roast for 15–20 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the 40g of butter in a pan and add the sliced red onions and garlic with the remaining teaspoon of brown sugar. Cook over a low-medium heat until the onions are very soft and sweet, then remove from the heat.
Place the carrots over the base of the buttered tin or pan in an attractive pattern, then add the beetroot slices on top and the red onions. Season with salt and pepper as you go.
Lightly dust your work surface, with flour, then roll out the puff pastry until it’s a little larger than your pan to allow for shrinkage. Place the pastry over the vegetables, tucking it down the sides of the pan, then trim off any excess. Bake the tart for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and risen.
Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool a little before turning out. Meanwhile, put all the pesto ingredients in a blender and blitz. Add a splash of water if necessary to get a drizzling consistency.
Carefully cover the tin or pan with a large serving plate or board and invert to turn the tart out. You may need to rearrange a few of the vegetables with a palette knife to tidy it up.
Serve slices of the tart with the pesto drizzled over or alongside and a green salad.
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