Why are beets, goat cheese and walnuts so good together? And why did I never think to bake them all together in a flaky, buttery shell? Gordon Hamersley recommends serving this tart with a little mixed greens tossed with a bright vinaigrette, which is exactly what I did. I spotted this recipe in a recent Cookstr newsletter entitled “10 Dishes Under $10.” Under $10 very likely it was — my bunch of beets cost $2 at the farmers’ market, and I still have all of the greens remaining to use for another meal. I made a few changes, only one of which is significant. I substituted buttermilk for the heavy cream, which does not compromise the flavor. This tart is fabulous. I ate leftovers for breakfast and dinner. Yum yum yum. Above: Beets purchased from the San Clemente Farmers’ Market. I like to buy my beets from Eli’s Ranch. (They park in front of the library and sell the best avocados, too.) Below: To blind bake a tart shell, line it with plastic wrap and dried beans. Fold the plastic up and over so that the crust is exposed. Bake for about 20 minutes at 375ºF. Be warned: If you care about your cutting board, don’t cut beets on it. I forgot to use my plastic one for this job. Oops.
Note: Below is a simplified version of the recipe.
1½ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon kosher salt 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and well chilled 4 to 5 tablespoons ice water
Tart recipe
2 to 3 small beets (Note: Since you are roasting beets, you may as well roast a few more. When assembling the tart, I used about 2 heaping cups of diced beets) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons dry white wine (or Sherry or Madeira — whatever you have on hand.) 1 recipe tart dough (above) 3 large eggs ¾ cup heavy cream (I used buttermilk) 4 ounces fresh goat cheese (I used less. Add according to taste/preference.) 1 cup chopped walnuts (I used less. Add according to taste/preference.) 1 tablespoon walnut oil (Optional — I did not use.) About 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
For the tart:
