Recipe for :

This recipe has been reproduced with the kind permission of Chef Daniel Boulud. Born in France, he was raised on his family's farm near Lyon, where he grew up surrounded by the rhythms of the seasons, the wonders of produce fresh from the fields, and of course, his grandmother's inspiring home cooking . . . if you want to know more have a look at his biography page <click here>

To visit the web site of Daniel Boulud <click here>

This particular recipes comes from DB Bistro Moderne and Chef Daniel Boulud: Cooking in New York City

Ingredients

Pistuo Sauce:
2 bunches basil (about 8 ounces), leaves only, washed
1/2 clove garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon pine nuts, very lightly toasted
1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the Puff Pastry:
1 pound frozen puff pastry
Egg wash, 1 egg whisked with 1 teaspoon water

For the Tomatoes:
10 large plum tomatoes, cut crosswise into 1/8-inch thick slices
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the Caramelized Onions:
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, (about 7 ounces each) peeled and thinly sliced
4 sprigs thyme, leaves only
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Herb Goat Cheese:
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, softened
2 teaspoons mascarpone cheese
2 teaspoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons Pistou Sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Frisée Salad:
2 small heads frisée, white and light yellow parts only, trimmed, washed and dried or 1/4 pound mesclun
8 small white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup kalamata olives (about 16), pitted and halved
16 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 tablespoons chervil leaves
8 chives, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

Pistuo Sauce:

• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Plunge the basil into the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain the leaves and hold under running cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain, and squeeze the leaves of excess water.

• Put all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade attachment. Process until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. (The pistou can be made one day ahead. This recipe makes 1 cup. The extra sauce can be used to toss with pasta or as a spread on toasted croutons or sandwiches.
  

For the Puff Pastry:

• Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.

• On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll the puff pastry to a 3/16-inch thickness. Using a 4-inch round cutter, cut the dough into 4 discs. Place the discs on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Brush the discs with egg wash. Dock the dough by pricking the surface with a fork. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For the Tomatoes:

• To remove excess moisture from the tomatoes, place the tomatoes slices in an even layer on baking sheets lined with several layers of paper towels or kitchen towels. Season the tomatoes with salt. Allow the slices to drain in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.

• Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

• Brush 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil in the bottoms of four 4-inch nonstick round tart pans. Arrange the tomato slices in an overlapping circle, about 12 per pan. Season with salt and pepper. Place the pans onto a baking sheet until the tomatoes are soft, about 10 minutes. Using the back of a spoon, press the tomatoes flat.

For the Caramelized Onions:

• In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions start to caramelize, 10 to 15 minutes. When brown, remove and set aside.

For the Herb Goat Cheese:

• In a small bowl, mix together the goat and mascarpone cheeses, heavy cream, pistou sauce, shallots, chives, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

For the Frisée Salad:

• In a medium bowl, toss together the frisée, mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, chervil, chives, olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
  

To Assemble and Serve:

• Place a scoop of the goat cheese mixture in the center of the warm tomatoes. Divide the warm caramelized onions evenly over the goat cheese and top with a puff pastry circle.

STEP 1	STEP 2	STEP 3
STEP 4	STEP 5	STEP 6

• Invert each tomato tart onto the center of each plate and remove the molds. If necessary, use a spoon and gently tap the bottom of the molds to release the tatins. Place a small mound of the frisée-mushroom salad on top. Drizzle the pistou sauce around the plate. Garnish with cherry tomato halves, if desired.
  

Serves 8

Bon appetit . . . . .

Daniel Boulud
To visit his web site <click here>