Pear and shallot tarte tatin

Looking for a side dish that's a star in its own right? Try this savoury spin on the classin tarte tatin, made with pears.

Credit: Mary Makes It Easy

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  50 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• ¼ cup (53 g) brown sugar
• 1½ tbsp unsalted butter
• 1½ tbsp (30 ml) sherry vinegar
• 6 medium shallots, peeled and halved
• 2 firm pears, peeled, quartered, and cored
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 sheet (approx. 225 g) frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions

Garnish

• 1½ tbsp (30 ml) sherry vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp honey
• 1½ tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3-4 handfuls rocket (arugula)
• ¼ cup (30 g) chopped walnuts
• 75 g crumbled blue cheese

Cooling time: 15 minutes.

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Place a 23 cm (9 inch) cast iron skillet over medium heat and sprinkle in the sugar. Allow the sugar to melt for about 2 to 3 minutes or until caramelised smelling, gently stirring occasionally. Add in the butter and whisk to combine. Standing back from the stove, whisk in the sherry vinegar. If any clumps of sugar occur during this process, don’t worry. They will melt in later.
3. Carefully add the shallots and pears to the pan, season with salt and pepper, turn the heat down to low, and cook until slightly softened and caramelized, about 4 to 5 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, retrieve puff pastry from the fridge, unroll it, and poke a few times with a fork to allow steam to escape. Remove the pan from the heat, arrange the shallots and pears into an even layer, and carefully drape the pastry overtop. Using a small spoon or butter knife, tuck the pastry down around the shallots and pears into the sides of the pan.
4. Transfer to the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden, puffed, and crisp. Allow the tart to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before running a knife around the edge and, wearing oven mitts, very carefully and quickly inverting onto a rimmed serving plate, being careful of the hot caramel. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the sherry vinegar, mustard, honey, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss in the rocket (arugula).
6. Top the tarte with the dressed rocket and scatter with the walnuts and blue cheese. Slice and serve.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.