Caramelised Mushroom Tarts Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a generous frying pan, add the onion and fry over moderate heat for about 7 mins until soft and golden. Stir in the sugar and seasoning, turn up the heat and add the mushrooms. Sizzle for 5 mins until you have driven off any moisture and the mushrooms are golden. Stir in the garlic for a few further mins, until fragrant, then turn off the heat and stir in most of the thyme (save some for sprinkling). The mushroom mix can be chilled at this point.
• To make the tartlet bases, cut 7-8cm circles out of the bread using a cookie cutter or glass. Butter one side and stick buttered-side down into a 12-hole tartlet tin. Freeze any leftovers to make breadcrumbs.
• When ready to bake, heat oven to 220C/200 fan/gas 7. Divide the mushroom mixture between the tartlets and top with a sprinkle of cheese. Don't be too tidy about this - any cheese on the tin will form a lacy edge to the tartlets. Bake for 10-15 mins until golden and bubbling. Sprinkle over the reserved herbs and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the flour, butter and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to break up butter into little pieces... mixture should resemble coarse corn meal. With the machine running, add the water a tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together when squeezed. Gather the dough together and form into a rectangle. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one half an hour.
• In the mean time, heat the butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the mushrooms, stir to coat, spread out in the pan and allow to cook, undisturbed for a couple of minutes. Stir once and redistribute, continue cooking in this same manor until mushrooms are golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
• Add onions to the same sauté pan; add additional olive oil is necessary. Sauté until caramelized well, season with thyme, salt and pepper.
• Divide pastry in half. Roll each piece of pastry into long strips, about 4 inches by 8 inches. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and crimp the edge of the dough to create a rim. Cover the tart with parchment and fill with beans. Bake 15 minutes, remove the parchment and beans and bake another 5 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
• Reduce the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread half of the cheese and half of the onions and half of the mushrooms on each tart. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes.
• To serve, cut each tart in half length wise and then into 6 equal pieces. Arrange on a serving plate.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Using a mandolin or super-sharp knife, cut onion into paper thin slices. Clean and slice the mushrooms.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat; add onion and saute until caramelized. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Heat remaining teaspoon of oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until they release all their liquid and most of it boils away, should take about 5 minutes. Combine caramelized onions with mushrooms and saute together briefly; season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from heat.
• Unfold puff pastry onto a floured surface; cut in half lengthwise to form 2 long rectangles. Gently roll out each rectangle to approximately 5 by 14 inches and place on cookie sheet. Trim edges by 1/4-inch strips all around; set strips aside. Break 1 egg into a small bowl; beat slightly. Brush edges of pastry with some of the egg. Use trimmed strips to make a raised border on each. Brush entire surface with remaining beaten egg. Prick the interior of pastry all over with a fork. Bake until pale gold, about 10 minutes. If pastry has puffed up inside edge, press it down gently. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, combine remaining eggs with 6 ounces goat cheese and blend until smooth. Spread the mixture onto pastry. Return to oven and bake just until set, about 4 minutes. Add the thyme to the mushroom mixture. Remove cookie sheet from oven and spread with thyme-mushroom mixture. Crumble remaining cheese on top. Just before serving, broil tarts on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until tarts are warm and cheese softens.