150g(1 bunch) English spinach, rinsed, ripped into smaller pieces
1Red onion thinly sliced into half moons
1tbspBrown sugar
1tbspBalsamic vinegar
100gMarinated goats cheese
Unsalted butter for cooking
Sea salt to taste
TO SERVE
Parsley, roughly chopped
1
Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
2
Lightly grease a 35cm pie tin and set aside.
3
Warm up a heavy base medium saucepan to medium heat, add a knob of butter. Once the butter has melted, add the minced garlic and sauté until it turns a light golden colour. Add the polenta and stir thoroughly to coat in butter.
4
Gradually pour in the stock while continually stirring to prevent lumps forming. Once the polenta thickens and the grains soften, add the grated parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, pinch of salt and a good amount of cracked pepper.
5
Remove from the heat and turn the polenta out into the pie tin. Using a spatula, level out the polenta and allow for a nice thick side crust (the pie crust is meant to be thicker than a traditional pastry crust). Trim off any excess.
6
Place the tart casing in the oven to cook for 25-30 minutes or until it becomes crispy and a darker golden colour.
7
To cook the caramelised onion, add a knob of butter to a heavy base frying pan. Add the thinly sliced red onion and allow to sweat down, stirring until the onions become translucent and soft.
8
Add the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and stir through. Cook for a further 5 minutes while the sugar dissolves and the balsamic vinegar caramelises. Remove from the heat and set aside.
9
In the same fry pan on medium heat add a small knob of butter and the English spinach. Sauté until it becomes soft and wilted, remove from the heat and set aside.
10
Using the same fry pan, add a knob of butter followed by the sliced mushrooms and the thyme. Sauté until the mushrooms become tender and juicy. Remove from the heat and set aside.
11
To fill the tart, spread out the caramelised onion across the base. Follow with the wilted spinach and top with the sautéed mushrooms. Finish off with spoonfuls of marinated goats cheese, a drizzle of the oil from the cheese and a sprinkle of fresh parsley over the top.
12
Serve warm straight away.
Ingredients
POLENTA TART BASE
1Cup coarse polenta
1Garlic clove, minced
500mlVegetable or chicken stock
⅓cupGrated parmesan cheese
2tspFresh thyme leaves
1 ½tspRosemary leaves
1tbspUnsalted butter for cooking
Sea salt to taste
TART TOPPINGS
150gSwiss Brown mushrooms, thinly sliced
100gButton mushrooms, thinly sliced
1tspFresh thyme leaves
150g(1 bunch) English spinach, rinsed, ripped into smaller pieces
1Red onion thinly sliced into half moons
1tbspBrown sugar
1tbspBalsamic vinegar
100gMarinated goats cheese
Unsalted butter for cooking
Sea salt to taste
TO SERVE
Parsley, roughly chopped
Directions
1
Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
2
Lightly grease a 35cm pie tin and set aside.
3
Warm up a heavy base medium saucepan to medium heat, add a knob of butter. Once the butter has melted, add the minced garlic and sauté until it turns a light golden colour. Add the polenta and stir thoroughly to coat in butter.
4
Gradually pour in the stock while continually stirring to prevent lumps forming. Once the polenta thickens and the grains soften, add the grated parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, pinch of salt and a good amount of cracked pepper.
5
Remove from the heat and turn the polenta out into the pie tin. Using a spatula, level out the polenta and allow for a nice thick side crust (the pie crust is meant to be thicker than a traditional pastry crust). Trim off any excess.
6
Place the tart casing in the oven to cook for 25-30 minutes or until it becomes crispy and a darker golden colour.
7
To cook the caramelised onion, add a knob of butter to a heavy base frying pan. Add the thinly sliced red onion and allow to sweat down, stirring until the onions become translucent and soft.
8
Add the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and stir through. Cook for a further 5 minutes while the sugar dissolves and the balsamic vinegar caramelises. Remove from the heat and set aside.
9
In the same fry pan on medium heat add a small knob of butter and the English spinach. Sauté until it becomes soft and wilted, remove from the heat and set aside.
10
Using the same fry pan, add a knob of butter followed by the sliced mushrooms and the thyme. Sauté until the mushrooms become tender and juicy. Remove from the heat and set aside.
11
To fill the tart, spread out the caramelised onion across the base. Follow with the wilted spinach and top with the sautéed mushrooms. Finish off with spoonfuls of marinated goats cheese, a drizzle of the oil from the cheese and a sprinkle of fresh parsley over the top.
12
Serve warm straight away.
Notes
BAKED POLENTA TART WITH SAUTÉED MUSHROOMS, CARAMELISED RED ONION, AND SPINACH
