Leek and Zucchini Tarte Tatin

Created in the late 19th century by the sisters Tatin as a special apple dessert in their hotel restaurant, Tarte Tatin gained first French then worldwide popularity when famous 20th-century epicure Curnonsky published the recipe in his 1926-volume “La France Gastronomique.” The original ingredients were simple: sugar, apples and butter for the inside, flour, butter and water for the dough. This savory version is not much more complicated and the fresh vegetables shine.

I’ve spoken here before about the two years we lived in Balikpapan, Indonesia and the limited access we had to a variety of fresh vegetables. Aside from the local greens, I really only remember potatoes and green beans and carrots on offer. I had so taken for granted the well-stocked grocery stores of my youth but those two years gave me an appreciation for what I was missing. And then, because there is a God, we moved to Paris for three years of abundance and gorgeous markets with fresh seasonal produce of every variety. I bought Roger Vergé’s Vegetables and devoured both the sweet stories of his childhood in his father’s garden and mother’s kitchen and the simple recipes that featured all the goodness and light of the vegetables available to me. In short, I fell in love. I look back upon those years as an awakening to the potential of fresh vegetables to nourish with big flavor and beauty. Even though we have lived in several different countries since then with varying degrees of produce available, I’ve always tried to follow Chef Vergé’s instructions to buy the shiny eggplant, the greens that are crisp and vibrant, the firm carrot, the unblemished tomato and, if at all possible, the newly podded pea.

The week’s Sunday Supper theme is Meatless Meals but privately, in my own head, I’ve been calling it Vegetables on Center Stage. I’ve adapted this recipe from one of my new favorite cookbooks, another French one that focuses on vegetables in all their glory, The French Market Cookbook: Vegetarian Recipes from My Parisian Kitchen by Clotilde Dusoulier.  Many thanks to my friend Tammi of Momma’s Meals for hosting this great event, which could not have come at a better time for me. I’ll be visiting my two vegetarian daughters in the United States soon so I know I’ll be pinning a bunch of these recipes to try while I’m there.

Ingredients

10 oz or 285g leeks

If they are more or less the same circumference, that would be good.

10 oz or 285g small zucchini
3 small purple onions (not quite 4 1/2 oz or 125g total weight)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
9 small cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
Sea salt flakes
Black pepper
1 circle of short crust pie pastry (I used this recipe here.)

To serve: 3/4-1 oz or 25-30g Parmesan, freshly grated

Method
Trim the hard green ends and the roots off of the leeks and then cut them into lengths of about one inch or two centimeters long.

Rinse them thoroughly in running water to get rid of any dirt that might be inside, but make sure to keep the pieces whole. Drain the water and set them on a towel to dry.

Add a good drizzle of olive oil to a stovetop pan, preferably one that is also ovenproof,  and place the leeks in the oil, running them around a little to make sure the whole bottom of the pan is oiled.

Rinse and trim the ends off of your zucchini. Cut them into lengths the same as the leeks.

Place them in the pan in and amongst the leeks.

Peel your purple onions and cut them into quarters, making sure to leave a bit of the core at the bottom of each piece. Place them in your pan, core side down, amongst the leeks and zucchini.

Put the pan on a medium fire and cook until the bottoms of the vegetables are beginning to brown. Check a piece of zucchini. It's less likely to fall apart.

Add in a good splash of water and pop a lid on the pan.

Allow the vegetables to steam for a few minutes. When you can poke a fork in the zucchini but still feel some resistance, take the lid off and let the moisture evaporate. Cook for a few more minutes or until the bottoms of the vegetables are nicely caramelized.

Carefully turn them over, trying to keep them upright in their places. I used a combination of a small spoon and tongs to make the turn. If your pan or its handle is not ovenproof, you can transfer the vegetables to a baking pan now. Make sure to oil the new pan and keep the vegetables brown side up.

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Add your cherry tomatoes to the pan, placing them around the leeks and zucchini as evenly as you can manage. Sprinkle the vegetables with a little salt and pepper. Remember that you are going to finish this with some grated Parmesan so that will add saltiness as well.

Pull the leaves off of the thyme sprigs and scatter them on top the vegetables.

Top the whole thing with your circle of pastry dough, tucking the sides in down around the vegetables.

Using a sharp knife, cut slits in the dough to allow the steam to escape. This will ensure that your crust comes out of the oven crunchy instead of soggy.

Bake in your preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes or until the tart crust is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the crust to loosen it.

Place your serving plate on top of your pan and, using oven mitts, quickly turn the pan over. Replace any pieces of vegetable that stuck to the pan.

Sprinkle liberally with freshly grated Parmesan and serve. I must confess that I didn’t use all the cheese before I took photos because that would have covered up the lovely vegetables. You go ahead and put it all on, unless you are taking pictures.

Enjoy!

If you are looking for some great vegetarian options, I’ve got the best list of links for you right here:

Salads, Soups, Stews and Starters

• Spicy Vegan Potato Salad by Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Veggie Salad Trio with Zucchini Noodles and Pesto by Hip Foodie Mom
• Olive Tapenade by MealDiva
• Chickpea Chile Soup with Greens and Grains by Shockingly Delicious
• Thai Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Potato Chickpea Stew by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• "Beef" Stew with Potato Cake Tops by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup by Cindy's Recipes and Writings

"Meat"balls

• Teriyaki Quinoa "Meatballs" by The Foodie Patootie
• Black Bean "Meatballs" with Marinara by Foxes Love Lemons
• Spicy Vegetarian Meatballs by Mess Makes Food

Pastas, Pizzas and Casseroles

• Zucchini and Mushroom Skillet Lasagna by Curious Cuisiniere
• Four Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Shells by Melanie Makes
• Spicy Penne with Tomatoes and Havarti by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cheesy Tomato Casserole by Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Deconstructed Vegan “Lasagna” by What Smells So Good?
• Ramen Stir Fry by Ninja Baking
• Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Broccolini Macaroni and Cheese by Family Foodie
• Sundried Tomato and Zucchini Pizza with Goat Cheese by Healthy. Delicious.
• Creamy Parmesan Mushroom and Leek Pasta by Neighborfood
• Roasted Veggie Manicotti by Hot Momma's Kitchen Chaos
• Pasta Patate by Webicurean
• Spaghetti and Chickpeas and Roasted Tomato Sauce by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Broccoli, Mushroom, and Rice Casserole by Momma's Meals
• Radicchio and Gorgonzola Tortelloni with Butter and Walnuts by Manu's Menu

Burgers

• Quinoa Black Bean Burger with Ginger Cilantro & Turmeric by Sue's Nutrition Buzz
• Garbanzo and Brown Rice Burgers by girlichef
• Tofu Burgers by Small Wallet, Big Appetite

Tacos & Everything Wrapped

• Blackened Tofu Tacos with Asian Slaw by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Mushroom & Poblano Tacos by La Cocina de Leslie
• Green Chile Enchiladas by Cookin' Mimi
• Beet and Goat Cheese Tacos with Avocado Cream by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Black Bean and Avocado Flautas by Supper for a Steal
• Black Bean Spinach Quinoa Burritos by Alida's Kitchen

Other Main and Side Dishes

• Vegan, Gluten Free Breakfast Bars by Pies and Plots
• Mushroom and Lentil Cottage Pie by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Mediterranean Tomato Tart by Magnolia Days
• Lentil Stuffed Peppers by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Fontina Polenta with Sauteed Porcini Mushrooms by La Bella Vita Cucina
• Leek and Zucchini Tarte Tatin by Food Lust People Love
• Tofu and Peas Curry (Tofu Matar) by Soni's Food

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