Chicory Tarts with Goats Cheese & Thyme
The following recipe makes 4 tarts.
From Susie Carter, winner of the Chicory Challenge's special recipe. This makes no apologies for chicory's bitter 'adult' taste and instead brings it right to the fore.
Ingredients:
- 4 heads chicory
- 50 g butter
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 packet puff pastry
- 200 g goats cheese log, cut across into 4 slices
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180 ºC or gas mark 4.
- Remove the outer leaves of the chicory and trim away the bottom part of the stalk then cut each head lengthways into 8 wedges.
- Heat the butter until foaming in a large sauté pan. Add the chicory and turn to coat.
- Season lightly with salt & pepper and sprinkle with the thyme leaves.
- Leave to cook for 4 minutes until golden brown. Turn the slices and sprinkle over the vinegar.
- Leave to cook for another 2 minutes
- Roll out the puff pastry and cut into 4 disks, 12cm in diameter. Transfer to a baking sheet.
- Arrange the chicory slices on top of each pastry circle and then top each one with a slice of goats cheese and a sprig of thyme.
- Bake for 15 minutes until the pastry is puffy and golden and the heat has glazed the goats cheese.
