Roast Vegetable Tartlets

These are just so yummy & fabulous!

I have already posted about how you make the tart shells for these, so now (belatedly, apologies!) here is how I made the filling. This is derived from this recipe (2nd one down in the article) by Yotam Ottolenghi (yes, him again!). These are great for entertaining as you can roast the veg well ahead of time, as well as make the tart shells ahead of time. You just need to assemble and pop into the oven 20 minutes before you need to serve them.

Vegetable Tartlets 
(this should fill 24 cases)
1 red capsicum, quartered, seeds removed
1 eggplant, diced into cubes
1 carrot, diced into cubes
1 sweet potato, diced into cubes
1 zucchini, diced into cubes
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 sprigs rosemary
olive oil
2 eggs
200ml pouring cream

Preheat oven to 220'c.

Drizzle the capsicum with olive oil, put onto a baking tray & pop into the oven.

Mix the eggplant with olive oil, season q/ salt & pepper, put into a  baking dish (separate to the capsicum) & into the warmed oven. After 12 mins, add the sweet potato & carrot (mixed w/ olive oil & seasoned w/ S&P), mix together, place the rosemary on top, then cook for 12 minutes more. Add the zucchini (olive oil, S&P), mix with other veg & cook for 10-12 mins.

By now the capsicums should be done & the veg cooked: if not leave in the oven a little longer, until done. Cover the peppers w/ foil & let rest, then peel off the skin. Dice the capsicums, and add to the roast veg pan. Make sure you mix together well, so that when you take a spoonful, you are getting a bit of everything.

Meanwhile heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and gently sauté the onions until gently browned. Remove and allow to cool.

Combine the 2 eggs w/ the cream & whisk together.

Take your pre-prepared tart cases &  scatter some of the onions across the base, then top w/ a spoonful of the roast veg, adding one of the cherry tomato halves. Pour the egg/cream mix over the veg until the case is not quite full.

Pop into the oven for 15-20 minutes, then remove and allow to cool a little & set (the photo at right is before they went in the oven, just in case you are concerned!).

It has been a long, long time, but here I go again!

An out of the blue email from an old friend who is hosting a dinner party, combined with successful Madeline & chocolate-mousse-cake making over the weekend has inspired me to start paying more attention to my blog again.

I promise at least one post a week.

My friend (shout-out: Mel T!) is having 3 foodies over for dinner, and wondered if I had any menu-suggestions.

To start:

Gordon Ramsay's Broccoli Soup.

This is just the yummiest soup in the world, and amazingly healthy. The most important thing is to buy the best, freshest broccoli you can. This should make 2 very generous serves, or up to 4 serves as a starter.

    * 1 large or 2 medium broccoli heads
    * Salt
    * Ground black pepper
    * water
    * olive oil

For a slightly fancy version:
    * toasted almonds slivers (to garnish)
    * 2slices goats cheese (per bowl, to garnish)

1) Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add a large pinch of salt. Add broccoli and boil rapidly.


2) You will want to slice your goat cheese at this point if you’re making the fancy version. Dip the knife into the boiling hot water before each slice for even smooth cuts. Cut two slices of goat cheese per bowl being served.

3) Your broccoli is finished cooking when you can pierce it with little or no effort. Remove the pot from the stove burner. DO NOT POUR THE WATER OUT! Use a slotted spoon to put broccoli into a blender.  Pour enough of the water left over from cooking the broccoli to fill the blender half way. Add a pinch (or more) of salt.

***Before you start to pulse, wrap a tea-towel around whatever hand is touching the blender jug itself (even the lid): the contents are SCOLDINGLY hot (painful experience talking here!). ***

Use several pulses on your blender to break the broccoli up and then puree for a few seconds, until you get a nice, creamy consistency. Add more water if necessary (shouldn't be).
4) If you are making the 'fancy version', place some almond slivers to the bottom of a bowl and then place pieces of goat cheese on top of them.

5) Pour the soup into the bowl. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and serve at once: Yum!

If you look on youtube (just search 'Gordon Ramsay Broccoli Soup) you will see a video of him making this (or try this link):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvc8Au4YO60