Roasted Garlic Tarte Tatin – Better Than Lemsip
My husband is a sailor, and like all sailors he has strong opinions about things. Ropes, tides, and apparently, cold remedies. The moment he feels a sniffle coming on, he reaches for three things: garlic, ginger, and a small but decisive drop of whisky. I have learned not to question the whisky.
I have always believed in letting natural ingredients do the heavy lifting. Why reach for a Lemsip when your kitchen cupboard holds something far more delicious and considerably more satisfying?
My contribution to this highly scientific health regime is this Garlic Tarte Tatin. Four whole bulbs, caramelised low and slow with balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and fresh herbs until they are meltingly sweet and completely unrecognisable from their former pungent selves. It is, technically speaking, delicious medicine.
The patient has so far made a full recovery every time. I am calling that a success.
There is, of course, one small side effect. But if you are both eating it, nobody notices.
4
servings30
minutes25
minutes55
minutesIngredients
3 – 4 bulbs of garlic
6 Tablespoons of olive oil
200 ml water
1/2 a punnet cherry tomatoes halved
2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
Salt/Pepper
1 sprig of rosemary leaves chopped
2 sprigs of thyme leaves chopped
Approximately half a sheet of ready rolled puff pastry.
1 egg
100 gram feta
Directions
- Preheat oven to 200°C.
Cut the tops off the garlic bulbs and microwave them separately for 30 seconds each. The cloves should pop out of their skins easily. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the cloves until lightly golden. Add 200ml of water and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and simmer until the liquid has almost completely reduced. - Add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, rosemary and thyme. Take from the heat.
- On a plate mix 2 Tablespoons olive oil with brown sugar and good grind of pepper and salt. Dip cherry tomatoes with the cut side in this mixture.
- Heat griddle (ovenproof) pan with 2 Tablespoons olive oil and put cherry tomatoes cut side down. Fry for 5 min till they start to stick to the bottom. Take from the heat. Divide garlic mixture over it.
- Roll out the puff pastry and cut it slightly larger than your griddle pan. Place it over the pan, tucking the edges in neatly. Brush with egg wash and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
- Place a large plate or wooden board over the griddle pan and carefully flip it over in one confident movement. The pan will be very hot so use oven gloves. Lift the pan away and gently press any sticky bits back into place on the tart.
- Garnish with crumbled feta.
