Gordon Hamersley’s Beet, Goat Cheese And Walnut Tart

This tart is really fun and a little different than anything I’ve made before. I can’t promise a quick-and-easy dinner with this recipe — beets must be roasted; a tart shell must be baked — but with a little planning, assembly of this tart is quite simple. And it is so worth the effort.

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 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.

Description

Note: Below is a simplified version of the recipe.

for the tart dough:

• 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 dough:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Quickly cut the butter into the flour, using a pastry blender or the back of a fork, until the butter pieces are the size of large peas. (Alternatively, cut the butter into the flour by pulsing it 8 to 10 times in a food processor, being careful not to overheat and overmix the butter.)
2. Add the ice water. Using just your fingertips and working quickly, combine the flour mixture and the water. Work just until the water is absorbed. The dough will be ragged but should hold together when you squeeze it. If it seems dry, sprinkle on a few more drops of water. (I had to add a few more tablespoons of water.)
3. Gather the dough up into a ball — it’s fine if the dough does not come together completely at this time. Wrap the dough well in plastic wrap, flatten it a bit, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least a half hour before rolling. The dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can also freeze the dough, well wrapped; allow it to defrost for a day in the refrigerator before using it.
4. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Roll the dough into a large circle — large enough to overlap whatever sized tart pan you are using. Press the dough into the corners and into the sides of the tart pan. Trim off any excess dough. Line the tart with plastic wrap and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Fold plastic up and over to expose the crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove beans from tart.

For the tart:

1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Wash the beets. Place the beets in a small ovenproof pan (like a brownie pan or a pie plate.) Add water to reach 1/8-inch up the sides. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the beets are tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 45 minutes.
2. Allow the beets to cool. (Or not). Rub the skins off of the beets with your fingers, then dice the beets into small cubes. (Be careful, as beet juice can stain counters, towels, and even your hands; you may want to wear gloves for this step.)
3. Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, season with a little salt, and cook, stirring every few minutes, until the onion is just tender, about 7 minutes. Add the alcohol and cook for another minute, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. (Note: I caramelized my onions a bit more — cooked them slowly for about 25 minutes.)
4. Heat the oven to 350°F. Add the beets and onions to the blind-baked tart shell. (Note: I added the walnuts at this step as well, but Hamersley adds them after the tart has already baked for 20 minutes. Your call.)
5. Whisk together the eggs and cream (or buttermilk), season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and carefully pour over the beets and onion, letting the mixture seep evenly into the beets. Dot the goat cheese all over the top of the tart. Put the tart on a baking sheet and bake it for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts on top of the tart and drizzle the walnut oil over it, if using. Return the tart to the oven and bake until just set, an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle the tart with the chopped parsley and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Final Notes: If you can roast the beets ahead of time and prepare the tart shell (or make the tart dough) in advance, this tart can be assembled in no time.

Description

Note: Below is a simplified version of the recipe.

for the tart dough:

• 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 dough:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Quickly cut the butter into the flour, using a pastry blender or the back of a fork, until the butter pieces are the size of large peas. (Alternatively, cut the butter into the flour by pulsing it 8 to 10 times in a food processor, being careful not to overheat and overmix the butter.)
2. Add the ice water. Using just your fingertips and working quickly, combine the flour mixture and the water. Work just until the water is absorbed. The dough will be ragged but should hold together when you squeeze it. If it seems dry, sprinkle on a few more drops of water. (I had to add a few more tablespoons of water.)
3. Gather the dough up into a ball — it’s fine if the dough does not come together completely at this time. Wrap the dough well in plastic wrap, flatten it a bit, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least a half hour before rolling. The dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can also freeze the dough, well wrapped; allow it to defrost for a day in the refrigerator before using it.
4. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Roll the dough into a large circle — large enough to overlap whatever sized tart pan you are using. Press the dough into the corners and into the sides of the tart pan. Trim off any excess dough. Line the tart with plastic wrap and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Fold plastic up and over to expose the crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove beans from tart.

For the tart:

1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Wash the beets. Place the beets in a small ovenproof pan (like a brownie pan or a pie plate.) Add water to reach 1/8-inch up the sides. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the beets are tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 45 minutes.
2. Allow the beets to cool. (Or not). Rub the skins off of the beets with your fingers, then dice the beets into small cubes. (Be careful, as beet juice can stain counters, towels, and even your hands; you may want to wear gloves for this step.)
3. Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, season with a little salt, and cook, stirring every few minutes, until the onion is just tender, about 7 minutes. Add the alcohol and cook for another minute, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. (Note: I caramelized my onions a bit more — cooked them slowly for about 25 minutes.)
4. Heat the oven to 350°F. Add the beets and onions to the blind-baked tart shell. (Note: I added the walnuts at this step as well, but Hamersley adds them after the tart has already baked for 20 minutes. Your call.)
5. Whisk together the eggs and cream (or buttermilk), season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and carefully pour over the beets and onion, letting the mixture seep evenly into the beets. Dot the goat cheese all over the top of the tart. Put the tart on a baking sheet and bake it for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts on top of the tart and drizzle the walnut oil over it, if using. Return the tart to the oven and bake until just set, an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle the tart with the chopped parsley and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Final Notes: If you can roast the beets ahead of time and prepare the tart shell (or make the tart dough) in advance, this tart can be assembled in no time.

Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2009/04/02/gordon-hamersleys-beet-goat-cheese-and-walnut-tart/

I’m not really the Bloody Mary type. And had my friend not encouraged me so, I wouldn’t have ordered one. But I do as I’m told, generally, and I began my breakfast at The Ramos House Cafe with a Bloody Mary — a bloody Mary teeming with pickled green beans, sprinkled with shredded basil and chives, and topped with a scotch quail egg.

What, might you ask, is a scotch quail egg? It’s a soft-boiled quail egg, wrapped in ham, breaded and deep fried. And, well, it’s delicious. Had I ordered nothing else that morning, I would have been completely content.

That said, I have no regrets about moving forward with the apple cinnamon beignets, the buttermilk biscuits with homemade apple jam, and the wild mushroom scramble with crispy sweet potato shavings.

I’ve been to Ramos House now several times and can’t say enough about it. For one, it’s hands down one of the most charming restaurants I’ve ever stepped foot in. I could spend hours in the bathroom alone. Truly. Go. You’ll understand.

But even if Ramos House wasn’t rooted in an idyllic garden, flanked by lemon trees and gurgling fountains, stationed next to a railway leading to, perhaps, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the food would make up for any lack of ambience.

This place is worth a trip across the country. Seriously. All of you East Coasters who have yet to come visit me in sunny California, here’s some more fodder. It has been a little over a year now since I moved, and I am finally feeling settled. Meaning, I have finally found some food outlets that rival, in their own way, Ding Ho noodles , Fisher’s soft pretzles , and Melograno’s mushroom pappardelle .

My most recent visitors shared my enthusiasm for Ramos House. And, before leaving the OC last week, they managed to so kindly buy me a copy of the Ramos House Cafe cookbook. Words cannot describe my excitement. While I haven’t tested the recipe below, I have a feeling it’s a winner.

Description

Please use the recipe below as a guide. I can’t find good clamato juice, so I use tomato purée or “strained tomatoes” (680 ml) mixed with water (320 ml). I also add more of everything to taste: way more fresh lemon juice (probably 3 tablespoons at least), and more Worcestershire, horseradish, and hot sauce to taste.

For a tall glass, I add about 2 shots of vodka (3 ounces roughly) over ice, then pour the bloody Mary mix over top. Crack more pepper over top and garnish with the pickled green beans. I use this recipe to pickle the green beans .

• 1 liter clamato, see notes above
• 1 T. prepared horseradish
• 2 T. hot sauce
• 1 T. black pepper
• 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T. lemon juice
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ cup pitted green olives, chopped
• salt to taste
• Vodka or Soju

1. Place all ingredients except for the vodka in a blender or food processor and puree. Fill a glass with ice and add desired amount of vodka. Fill remainder of glass with Bloody Mary mix.
2. Garnish with Pickled Green Beans (recipe below), crab claw, herb salad and diced bell peppers.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes

• 2 lbs. green beans

• 5½ cups rice wine vinegar, unseasoned

• ½ small onion, sliced

• ¼ cup crushed, dried red chiles

• 1/8 cup coriander seeds

• 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• ¾ cup water

• 4 T. salt

• 1 oz . whole black peppercorns

• 6 T. sugar

1. Bring all ingredients except for the green beans to a boil. Skim. Allow mixture to steep for at least 30 minutes, then strain.
2. Bring to a boil, blanch beans in brine (add to water for about 15 seconds, then remove), then cool on sheet trays in the refrigerator.
3. Strain pickling brine again. Cool. Return vegetables to cool in pickling liquid. Refrigerate for up to one month.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes

• Cook Time: 10 minutes

• 10 quail eggs

• ½ pound bulk sausage, raw

• 2 eggs, beaten

• flour for dredging

• bread crumbs for dredging

1. Place quail eggs in a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Drain off hot water and cover with ice to stop the cooking process.
2. When cool, peel the shells off the eggs. Flatten sausage into 10 pieces. The pieces should be big enough to encase the egg, but not too thick.
3. Roll the eggs in flour then wrap the eggs with the flattened sausage. Bread the wrapped eggs by rolling them in flour, dipping them in raw beaten eggs and rolling in the bread crumbs.
4. Deep fry in 350ºF oil for approximately 4 minutes.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serve with:

• 1 cup Coleman’s dry mustard
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup tarragon vinegar
• 3 large eggs

1. Whisk together all ingredients in a stainless steel mixing bowl. Set bowl on top of a pot of simmering water. Stirring constantly, cook mustard sauce until it thickens. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and chill immediately. Murdock’s magic mustard will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes