Tarte tatin is one of the best dishes ever invented. You can’t say no to perfectly puffed pastry, topped with toffee-glazed apples, or pears, or peaches, or even apricots. So when we saw this recipe for a caramelized tomato tart tatin in the online New York Times, we knew we would be trying it this weekend.
After eating this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we think that the recipe needs some tweaking. We’ll be doing a substantially revised version of this next weekend, with some of the San Marzanos we picked up today at the Jean-Talon market. (Few things make you feel prouder, or more adventurous, than a hundred pounds of tomatoes in the trunk.)
The first thing we did wrong was to try caramelizing onions in a non-stick pan. After a full hour, the onions tasted sweet enough, but they just weren’t turning that amber colour that tells you they’re done. Strike two was the simple caramel the recipe recommends you use as a base (or top, once the tart is flipped out of the pan). It’s overkill. It gives the dish a kind of Dr. Pepper-braised ham feeling. The final problem was gooey-ness. The tomatoes released so much liquid while cooking that they soaked the pastry, which kind of just spoiled the whole dish.
Some people might like things that are soggy and supersweet, but we’re convinced there is a better version of this dish, just waiting to be discovered in next week’s test kitchen. Stay tuned. Our loot of San Marzanos will be ripe in three days.
Waiting.
This looks delightful! Love the different colored tomatoes!
100 pounds of tomatoes???? You guys are gods!
Can’t wait to see what you produce with the San Marzanos!!! They are my favorite!!! I have a little catering buisness (word of mouth) and am always looking for delicious ideas. Do you love Mexican food??
Tomatoes remind me of rasam. Do you love South Indian Vegetarian?
Our neighbour Krish is teaching us about Indian cuisine. Watch for an upcoming post on Lime Pickle.
Karla, I do love Mexican food, especially mole sauce. We drive out to a place in Navan called Chilly’s Chiles to get dried and powdered chiles. I’m so glad to hear you’re doing something food-related, your family is responsible for introducing me to garlic. I also fondly remember tuna melts at your kitchen table, on those incredible kaiser buns from that bakery we all loved – what was it called? We must trade some recipes!