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Recipe Detail Page
Mushroom Tartlet Tatins
Holiday 2021
A savoury spin on the classic apple dessert, this tiny pastry features juicy roasted cremini and wine-braised shallots on a flaky disc of puff pastry. It is a labour-intensive hors d’oeuvre, but you can make life much easier by using pre-rolled puff pastry. Look for the PC brand at Loblaws or the Manotas brand at gourmet food shops.
Makes 24 tartlets
1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil
3/4 lb (340 g) shallots, finely chopped
Water as needed
1/4 cup (60 mL) fruity red wine
1 tsp (5 mL) balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp (2 mL) chopped thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
24 large cremini mushrooms,
2 1/4 inches (5.5 cm) in diameter
1/4 cup (60 mL) unsalted butter, melted
1 lb (455 g) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten
Extra virgin olive oil and finely sliced chives for garnish
1. Heat canola oil in a medium frying pan or saucepan (not nonstick) over medium-high heat. Add shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally until the brown layer has formed on the bottom of the pan, 4 to 5 minutes. Deglaze pan with a splash of water, stirring up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking, stirring often, until a brown layer has formed on the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes. Repeat deglazing and cooking process 1 more time. Stir in wine, vinegar and thyme. Cook, stirring up browned bits until moisture has evaporated, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate to cool. Transfer to an airtight container. (Shallots can be made and refrigerated up to 5 days in advance.)
2. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
3. Clean mushrooms with a pastry brush. Remove stems and save them for another use. Place mushrooms on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Brush both sides with butter and season with salt. Arrange evenly, gill-side up. Bake on the bottom rack until browned and tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, tip off any juices and save them for another use. Slice a thin layer off gill side so caps are 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick. (Save these mushroom rings for another use.)
4. Roll puff pastry into a 16 x 11-inch (40 x 28 cm) rectangle, 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch (6 cm) round cookie cutter, cut 24 rounds and place on 2 parchment-paper-lined baking sheets. Working with 1 baking sheet at a time, brush pastry rounds with egg. Place 1 tsp (5 mL) shallot mixture in the centre and 1 mushroom on top, gill-side down. Using the tip of a paring knife, lightly score pastry around the mushroom, being careful not to go all the way through. Bake on the middle rack until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Repeat with the remaining baking sheet of pastry rounds.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with chives.
Makes 24 tartlets
