Bouche on Bridge’s Eschallot Tarte Tatin
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By: Sheridan Rogers
I love the bitter-sweet flavour of caramelised onions and I also love a good tarte tatin so when I saw this eschallot tart on the menu recently at Bouche on Bridge I just had to order it. Not only does it look dramatic, but the flavour of burnished shallots combined with buttery pastry and parmesan ice cream is a winner. There are a number of steps involved in the preparation of the banana shallots, which are split in half lengthwise to resemble torpedoes, but each step is well worth following to achieve the final result. Chef Harry Stockdale-Powell is serious about his food. Hand-made plates are used to link a variety of dishes listed under Farm, Earth and Sea, showcasing local produce and sustainability through the menu. If you’d like A 300-strong wine list accompanies the menu while downstairs the 60-seater The Cellar at Bouche features a menu with a focus on sustainability. You can also taste some of Stockdale-Powell’s delicious dishes at the upcoming Taste of Sydney at Centennial Parklands March 9-12th. Postscript March 28th: Harry Stockade Powell won The Taste the World competition for his Wallaby Skewers with spiced cashew sauce. He will receive return flights and accommodation courtesy of Etihad Airways to participate in the competition’s global final, Taste of Abu Dhabi, in November.
Ingredients
- brown onions 8, thinly sliced
- butter 50g
- fresh thyme 1 sprig
- salt and pepper
- banana eschallots 1Kg
- extra virgin olive oil 50ml
- salt and pepper
- skim milk 2.1 litres
- parmesan 400g, grated
- cream 800ml
- glucose 200g
- egg yolks 5
- bakers flour 750g
- butter 225g
- salt 15g
- milk 200ml
- cream 200ml
- butter 550g
For the Onion Stock: Bring a thick bottom saucepan to a medium heat and slowly caramelize the onions in the butter with a pinch of salt. Once the onions are sweet and dark golden, add the thyme and cover with water. Bring the stock up to 85degC and simmer for an hour. Strain the stock through a fine sieve and season with aged balsamic, salt and pepper. Eschallot Filling: Preheat the oven to 160degC. Slice the eschallots in half from root to tip leaving the skins on. Place cut side up on a wire rack placed over a baking tray. Dress with olive oil and salt. Cook the eschallots for roughly 40 minutes depending on the size. You are looking for minimal colour and a soft and sweet center. Once cooked, allow to cool, peel off the skin and thicker outer layer, as they tend to be bitter. Puff Pastry : Mix the flour, salt and 225g of butter together on low speed in a mixmaster to form breadcrumb consistency, then slowly incorporate the milk and cream to form a dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest in the fridge for 12 hours. Take the 550g butter out of the fridge and allow to soften. Once soft, shape into a rectangle roughly 1cm thick between sheets of grease proof paper, and rest in the fridge. Take the dough and butter from the fridge and allow to temper. Roll the pastry out into a large rectangle roughly 1cm thick and place the butter in the center (dough needs to be 3 times the size of the butter). Fold the left wing over the butter and then the right, sealing the butter between the dough. Using a rolling pin roll the pastry out again and fold into a third again, Repeat this 3 times and place back into the fridge to rest for 30 minutes. Follow the rolling and folding process 3 times with a 30 minute resting period in the fridge between sets of three. Finally, roll pastry out to a 5 ml thickness and cut out 20cm (8’’) discs. Store them in the fridge with layers of greaseproof in between until required. Parmesan ice cream: Bring the milk, cream and glucose to the boil and pour slowly over the egg yolks whisking until fully incorporated. Place the mixture back onto the heat and bring up to 85degC and then remove from heat. Place mixture and parmesan cheese into a blender, blend until smooth. Pass and churn using the manufacturer’s instructions on your ice cream machine. To assemble: Grease a 15cm (6″) non-stick frying pan with a small knob of butter and season with salt. Start by laying the cooked eschallots cut side down in the pan, ensuring there are no gaps. Cover with the stock so that the top of the eschallots are just covered. Start to reduce the stock on the stove until the eschallots are glazed and sticky. Cover with the puff pastry making sure to tuck all the edges under and bake at 220degC for 10 minutes or until the pastry is evenly golden. Use a spoon to tease the edges loose, placing a baking tray on top of the pan, flip the pan over in one smooth fast action and lift the pan off (if there are any eschallots stuck to the pan place them back in the gaps of the tart). Slide the tarte tatin onto the serving plate and garnish with a large scoop of parmesan ice cream. Tip: if you don’t have time to make your own puff pastry,a good quality store bought puff pastry (such as Pampas Butter Puff Pastry) is a good alternative, cut into 20cm (8’’) discs.