I had plans to post my favourite egg dish for you to enjoy during the easter weekend but something got in the way and I didn’t find the 8 minutes to prepare them nor the many more minutes for the photo session… But anyway, there will be plenty more occasions for brunches and I’ve got something at least as appealing and slightly magical under my sleeve for this weekend brunch.
This easter brunch special involves one of the most the controversed queen of belgian vegs, the belgian endive*. This winter delicate veggie is unfortunately often neglected by kids and many others for its bitterness. The tallest of the kids I know, my dutchie, will not argue about that. That was until I found THE magical recipe: I was once wandering around the famous french cooking website Marmiton, when I stumbled upon it… A savoury version of the tarte tatin, with caramelised endives and smooth goat cheese. I guarantie that you’ll have almost anyone eat belgian endive with that one, even the most reluctant to the belgian white gold bitterness. They might even ask for a second part. Problem with my dutchie is that apart from frowning at the sight of the belgian blond beauties, he’s also a cheese heretic! I’ve solved the problem by using creamy goat cheese as a topping for the tart instead of as a filling and I’ve thrown in a couple of parma ham slices to appeal to my dutchie carnivore instincts… A success every time!
Happy Easter and Bon Appetit!
Caramelised belgian endive and goat cheese tatin
Tatin d’endives au chevre
serves 4 pers.
prep: 15 min. cook: 20 min. + 20 min.
Ingredients:
6 good size belgian endives*, cut in half lengthwise and core removed**;
1 Tsp water;
50 g butter;
1 Tsp sugar;
150 g fresh goat cheese (I also like to use crottins de chavignol when I can get hold of them), in crumbles or thin slices;
4 thin slices parma ham (optionnal);
350 g puff pastry (or a ready to use puff pastry roll);
sea salt and freshly ground pepper;
Melt half of the butter in a large pan over medium heat, add the halved belgian endives. Toss to coat with the butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. After a couple of minutes lower the heat and add 1 Tsp of water. Leave to simmer on low heat for about 20 min or until the liquids are evaporated and the endives are cooked through, with a nice golden blond coloring.
Preheat the oven at 180 deg C. In a stove and oven proof tart mold, melt the butter and sugar on medium heat and place the endives halves in a flower shape. Cook for a couple of minutes or until the endives start to caramelise. Remove from the heat.
Sprinkle the endives with the goat cheese and eventually cover with the parma ham slices.
Roll the dough into a round slightly larger than the tart mold. Lay the dough over the endives, folding the exceeding dough (if any) inside the mold, gently pushing it between the mold and the endives. Make a few incisions on the dough with a knife to prevent the dough from raising.
Bake for 15 to 20 min at 180 deg C. or until the dough is golden.
This savoury tart should be served warm. If you don’t serve it right away, warm it up in the oven for 10min at 120 deg C. Then, put it on high heat for less than a minute, or until you can gently turn the tart in its mold without resistance. Put the serving dish over it and turn upside down, gently remove the mold, et voila! Serve immediately.
Bon appétit!
* The belgian endive is often considered as the belgian white gold. Do not confuse with the curly endive or chicory. Other names for the belgian endive include white loaf or chicon.
** Most of the bitterness of the belgian endive lays in the core. My mom tought me this trick she used when we were kids… We were the only kids in the neighbourhood eating belgian endives back then!
