Mushroom Tarts

 This recipe is from Chef Rachel Bayes and  published in the Walleye Dec. 2021

Makes about 24 tarts

Mary Lou made these over Christmas.  She used them as a first course in a dinner with her neighbour. 

Make ahead: This recipe freezes well--just assemble, bake, and reheat at 350 F for about five minutes. Or you can assemble the tarts in muffin pans and refrigerate,  ready to pop in the oven as your guests arrive.

Ingredients and Method combined:

2 large onions, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

Add onions to the oil/butter and cook on medium-low for a looooong time, stirring often, until they are deep golden brown. You want them to cook slow and low to caramelize and deepen the flavours.

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp brown sugar

8 oz mushrooms, finely chopped.

Stir the salt, sugar, and mushrooms into the onions. Cook until the mushrooms are softened  and have released their liquid (maybe 10 minutes).

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 tbsp dried parsley

(you can sub in rosemary or Italian seasoning if you'd rather. Mary Lou used Donato's Italian seasoning)

Stir in the garlic and the herbs. Cook a couple of minutes more. Turn off the heat.

2 tsp lemon juice

Stir into oniony mixture

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

Unfold the pastry on a floured surface and role out to a 18" by 9 " rectangle. Cut into 18, 3" rounds (or squares). The size depends on the size  of the muffin cups you plan to use, as the pastry needs to fit into the muffin pans (bottom and sides). You can use mini pans or regular pans. Press scraps into a ball, roll out again, and cut six or so more. Press the cut-outs into the muffin tin cups.  Use a tooth pick to poke holes in the centres of the puff pastry cups to make sure they don't puff too much while baking.

1 egg

1 tbsp water

Beat egg and water together. Brush on pastry cups. Spoon2 tbsp mushroom mix into pastry cups (or less if  using minis).

1 cup finely shredded cheese (such as Gruyere, fontina, Asiago, Emmental, taleggio

Top tarts with 1/2-1 tbsp cheese and bake until they are golden brown, 18-20 minutes for the large ones and less for the minis. Remove from pans and garnish with chopped fresh thyme or parsley.

Weston Kelley Warenzek 2021

at Gammondale, Thunder Bay

  Zoe and Grayson Kelley Zapior         2021 at Clearwater Bay, Kenora

Foster Cosgrove and Zoe Zapior 2020 at Brewers Park, Ottawa

Eli Cosgrove, Grayson Zapior, Foster Cosgrove,Zoe Zapior 2020 at the Rideau River, Ottawa

Joanie's Port Tenderloin (2) in Puff Pastry

 This is a long time favourite of the Dukes. Passed along to Mary Lou by Joanie. 

Ingredients

397 pkg. Puff Pastry (frozen)-I  use President's Choice (thaw 2 hours)

8 slices prosciutto

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 pork tenderloin

pinch rosemary, salt, pepper, garlic powder

1 egg, 1 tbsp water

Heat over to 350 degrees, ungreased baking pan

Method.

Roll out pastry into 2 inch square (PC comes in 12 inch squares already)

Lay 3 prosciutto overlapping slightly 

Place tenderloin on pastry, tucking in small end

Spread meat with Dijon mustard

Sprinkle w/seasoning

Wisk egg and water--brush on edges of pastry

Fold pastry over pork--make slots for steam (You can use a fork)

Bruch entire pastry with remaining egg mixture

                                         Clearwater Bay July 2020