Emile Henry Flame Tarte Tatin - Caramelized Onions and Portobello Mushrooms

Over the last year I have been increasingly more successful in cooking, and thus became comfortable experimenting with recipes and changing ingredients around. However, this is my very first recipe, dreamed up by moi! It is also the first Tatin I made in my EH Flame set!

To give proper credit where it is due, it was adapted from a fabulous recipe by Forage, called Pumpkin Tarte Tatin with Caramelised Onions.

For those who do not know, Tarte Tatin is an upside down apple pie-like dish created by the Tatin sisters, of the Tatin hotel in France, in the late 1800s. The story varies from a pie falling upside down on the floor to apples that cooked for too long, but the result is reportedly fabulous. Wanting to save the apple Tatin for a party or a special occasion, I made mine with caramelized onions and portobello mushrooms. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 packages portobello mushrooms, sliced
6 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon truffle oil, spritzed on the portobellos
1 egg, whisked into a glaze
1 sheet puff pastry
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground


Directions
I broke them down into several steps for simplicity, but don't be shy, it's VERY easy to make.

1. Set puff pastry to thaw in the fridge (avoid thawing at room temperature, as it will become sticky and difficult to unfold).

2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Set portobello slices on a cookie sheet and spray with truffle oil or olive oil. Lightly sprinkle with brown sugar and place in the oven for 20 minutes.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in tarte tatin dish over low heat, than increase to medium heat.

5. Slice red onion thinly. Add 2 tbsps garlic and onions to dish.

6. Add 2-3 tbsps brown sugar, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Add the onions and caramelize slowly, approximately for 10 minutes. Towards the end of this period, add salt and freshly ground pepper, as well as any herbs you may like.

7. Once onions are caramelized, remove with tongs and reserve with mushrooms.

8. Add 2 tbsps of butter to tarte tatin dish, 2-3 tbsps of brown sugar, and 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar.

9. In the meatime, unfold puff pastry onto a sheet of parchment paper (do not roll out, as this will remove its puffiness) and, joining smaller pieces as needed, make a circle the size of the tarte tatin dish.

10. Whisk one egg with one tbsp. of cold water. Brush this glaze onto one side of the puff pastry.

11. Once mixture is caramelizing, re-add onions to the dish. Then add mushroom slices and arrange the mushrooms in concentric circles. Add any final seasonings and herbs.

12. Place puff pastry GLAZED SIDE DOWN over the contents of the tarte tatin dish. Brush egg glaze over the top of the pastry, and perforate with a fork several times.

13. Place the dish in the oven, which should have remained at 350 degrees. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the pastry appears cooked and is golden brown.

14. Remove tarte tatin dish from the oven, and place a larger, flat serving dish over it. You will be flipping the dishes AWAY from you. Holding both dishes FIRMLY with heat resistant pads or mittens, flip with quickly and with confidence. Voila! Your tarte tatin is ready to be enjoyed.

TIP: You may add some soft cheeses on top immediately after uncovering the dish, such as goat cheese or gorgonzola.