Roasted Spring Vegetable Galette with Caramelized Onions and Aged Goat Cheese

Roasted Spring Vegetable Galette with Caramelized Onions and Aged Goat Cheese

“I love this recipe because it can be as easy or as in-depth as you like. You can start with pre-prepared ingredients or prepare them from scratch if you like. Below you will find preparations for some of my own favorite spring vegetables to include.”

1 sheet home-made pie pastry or store bought puff pastry

2 small croquettes Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery Bijou (or other aged goat cheese of your choice)

2 large yellow onions

1 bunch asparagus

1 small bunch wild ramps, cleaned (if available)

1/2 lb wild mushrooms, sliced

1 small shallot, diced

1 tsp fresh thyme, picked and chopped

Extra Virgin olive oil

High heat cooking oil (I like Canola)

2-3 Tbsp butter

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

If you are making your own crust, do this first as you will want to allow time for your dough to rest. For my Tender and Flakey Pie Pastry recipe, please visit: http://healthylivingmarket.com/recipes/tender-and-flakey-pie-pastry

For the caramelized onions: In a large skillet with a lid over very low heat, add about 3 Tbsp of olive oil, add the onions and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Mix and cover. Caramelized onions are best if they cook very slow over low heat for about 30-40 minutes. Let them cook, stirring them every 10-15 minutes until they are golden brown and very soft. When they are done, set them aside and let them cool.

For the asparagus and ramps: Prepare the asparagus by peeling the stringy outer skin of the asparagus with a vegetable peeler. Trim the woody bottoms about 1-2 inches from the end. In a heavy bottomed skillet, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the Asparagus and let it slowly roast, turning them every 2-3 minutes until the stalks are tender and golden brown. Season to taste and remove them from the pan. In the same pan, add 1 Tbsp of butter and let it melt. Add your clean ramps to the pan and let them wilt (it only takes about 2-3 minutes). Season them with salt and pepper and remove them from the pan. Cut the Asparagus into 1 inch pieces and set the mixture aside.

For the Mushrooms: In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Make sure you oil is hot! Add the mushrooms. When you add them, do not move them around in the pan at all for at least 60 seconds. This will give them a lovely brown crust! After a minute, begin to move them gently with a wooden spoon, turning them every minute or so until they are tender, about 4 minutes. Add the shallots and thyme, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and the butter. Cook one minute more, stirring constantly.

To prepare your galette: On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, lay your pie crust out flat. Trim the edges so it is a rough circle shape. About 3 inches from the edge, pile the caramelized onions and cooked vegetables. Slice the cheese into 3-4 slices each and lay them across the top. Fold the edges of the crust in overlapping leaves. The center will be left open so people can see what is inside the tart! Place the tart in a (preheated) 375º F oven for 45-55 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve hot. Goes great with a fresh green salad or as a side dish with hot soup.

Tips:

· When roasting vegetables, it is important NOT to stir too often. Letting your food have time to come in contact with the pan is what gives you the beautiful (and delicious) brown color you are looking for!

· High heat is important for achieving a nice golden color on your mushrooms. Make sure to use a cooking oil that can get very hot without burning, like canola or another vegetable oil (not olive oil or butter).

· Make sure that all your ingredients are at room temperature before assembling them in your tart. If they are too hot they will melt the fat in the pie crust making it greasy and hard to work with.

· Enjoy the process!