Wild Mushroom Tart

One of the great advantages of living in the Northwest is the availability of wild mushrooms almost all year round! I had some friends over and wanted to feature them in a classy way. So I adapted an old classic French recipe tart made with mostly caramelized onions and incorporated my mushrooms. The result was divine! I should have doubled the recipe because everyone went for seconds! It was a success!

Handling wild mushrooms
Found primarily at local Farmer’s Markets, wild mushrooms were most likely recently harvested and gently packed in shallow crates. So chances are, you may find some traces of dirt on the roots. Never wash them with water! Mushrooms can easily rot which is why you need to keep them in a paper bag and never in a plastic bag (you only make that mistake once!) All you need is a soft toothbrush and gently remove the dirt.  Depending on the type of mushroom you have, you can use the top and the stem. As long as you trim the bottom part of the stem it is fine.

Working with puff pastry
You should remove it from the freezer 2-3 hours before you need it or the night before and keep if refrigerated otherwise. The only trick with puff pastry is to have it at the right temperature. Too cold and it won’t open up and if it does, you risk breaking the sheets and too warm and the layers will stick together. When you open the package, you will see that the manufacturer has wisely inserted a thin strip of waxed paper so that unfolding the pastry can easily be done. If you are only using 1 sheet, always put the other one back in the paper envelope that came with the package and keep it refrigerated. It will be good for a few days.

What I love about this mushroom tart is that it combines the earthiness of wild mushrooms with the lightness of puff pastry. You can also use the pastry and make little stuffed pockets for a killer appetizer! This tart makes a perfect lunch with any salad, like this sprouted salad.

French Mushroom Tart

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

55 mins

 

Author: Chef Sophie

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: French

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 4-5 cups of mushrooms (shitake, porcini*, chanterelle, white caps, etc.)
• 4-5 cups of mushrooms (shitake, porcini*, chanterelle, white caps, etc.)
• 1 large yellow or red onion
• 1 large yellow or red onion
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• salt & pepper
• salt & pepper
• ½ tsp rosemary ground
• ½ tsp rosemary ground
• ½ tsp oregano
• ½ tsp oregano
• 1 package of Puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm is a popular one)
• 1 package of Puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm is a popular one)
• some soy milk
• some soy milk
• * I used some dried porcini mushrooms that I re-hydrated in hot water and reused the water to add extra flavor to my mushroom mixture.

Instructions

1. Place the puff pastry in the refrigerator the night before.
2. Mince the onions and pan-fry them in a little olive oil.
3. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce on the onions and mix over medium heat. They will caramelize.
4. When all the liquid is absorbed, pour a little water to deglaze them. Cover and lower the heat.
5. Prepare the mushrooms by removing any dirt with a soft brush.
6. Remove the stems and cube.
7. Add the mushrooms to the onions and mix well. Sprinkle with salt pepper, rosemary, and oregano.
8. Cover and lower the heat for 5 mn.
9. Remove the cover and let most of the juice evaporate.
10. Taste and season again if needed.
11. Working with puff pastry
12. In the meantime, prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or by lightly oiling it. Turn the oven on to 350F.
13. Open the package of puff pastry. Carefully unroll the dough. If it is too soft, put in back in the fridge until it has hardened a little.
14. Place one sheet down on the lined baking sheet.
15. Use the other sheet and cut small strips to create an edge all around if you want a rim around your tart. Poke holes with a fork to prevent blistering.
16. Bake for 10m.Take it out and push the bottom down to let the heat escape.
17. Return to the oven for another 8-10m. Watch it closely so that it doesn’t burn.
18. Take out and let it cool off for 5-10 minutes.
19. Spoon the mushroom mixture in the middle making sure that it is evenly spread.
20. m before you plan to serve, bake again for 10 mn covered with aluminum foil.
21. Remove the foil and bake for another 10mn.
22. Serve immediately if possible.
23. Serve with a spinach or kale salad.

Notes

Dufour Pastry Kitchen is another brand of Puff pastry that is vegan.

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