Winter Vegetable Tart

The weekly bounty of our Riverdog Farm CSA box inspired this leek, Romanesco, and Chevre tart. Focusing on what is fresh and available in my kitchen, I am compelled to play with combining flavors - a process that is always a joyous creative undertaking for me. This tart would work well with so many combinations of winter vegetables - I encourage you to play around with your own flavor mix depending on what's growing in your veggie garden or is available at the local farmer's market. This improvised tart recipe was really yummy and I wanted to share with you.


INGREDIENTS

• 3 1/2 cups leeks, sliced
• 2 cups Romanesco florets (cauliflower would also work well)
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 3/4 cup Chevre
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesean
• salt and pepper to taste
• flaky pastry dough
  

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add leeks and stew for a few minutes, until they are just beginning to soften. Add a splash or two of water (to avoid browning leeks), 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bay leaf. Continue to gently cook, covered, until leeks are cooked. Set aside.

Toss Romanesco florets with olive oil and salt to lightly coat. Roast in 350 oven until tender, but not too soft. Remove Romanesco from oven.

Turn up oven to 375.

Roll out chilled pastry dough and fit dough into a lightly greased tart pan with removable bottom. Sprinkle bottom of tart shell with Parmesan cheese. Then add the leeks and Romanesco. Dot top of the tart with dollops of chevre. Bake assembled tart in 375 oven for 40-50 minutes. Crust should be golden brown.

Serve and enjoy!

Romanesco and Parmesan Purée

I have never bought Broccoli Romanesco. I always admire its beauty at the market, and sometimes even put a head or two in my shopping basket, then change my mind. The vibrant chartreuse exterior and bizarre texture deeply appeal to me aesthetically, but I have been intimidated to cook it.

This week, we got our first CSA box from Riverdog Farm - one of my favorite stops at the Berkeley Farmer's Market. And what did I find.... 2 heads of Romanesco! I did some sleuthing about how to prepare this stunning vegetable. It seems that it can easily be steamed, roasted, etc, like any other broccoli and cauliflower. Plus I found out it is rich in Vitamin C.

I wanted to celebrate my new ingredient, so this is the recipe I had to try. I think you will really enjoy it - I am loving every bite as I sit here writing to you.


INGREDIENTS
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living, November 2007

• 2 heads Broccoli Romanesco
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• 2/3 cup Parmesan, grated
• salt and pepper to taste

Remove Romanesco florets from stalk and separate into pieces. Thinly slice garlic. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and Romanesco florets and cook about 8-10 minutes. Romanesco should begin to turn golden. ( If the garlic begins to burn, add a splash or two of water.) Then add 1/2 cup water and salt. Cover pan and simmer for 10-15 minutes until Romanesco is tender.





While Romanesco is cooking, gently warm milk and cream in a saucepan.

Place half of cooked Romanesco in a food processor or blender with half of warmed milk/cream. Blend. Put blended Romanesco in a bowl. Repeat with other half of ingredients. Then add 1/2 cup Parmesean, salt, and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Serve purée on top of your favorite crackers, or on little slices of bread that have been pan-fried in butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Enjoy!