Gouda, Gailan, and Caramelized Onion Tart
Hi from Santa Fe! Or technically somewhere between Santa Fe and Tulsa. We are just about half way through our road trip across the country. It’s not one of those “fun” road trips where we pull over at every interesting rock to take a photo or spend a few hours at a national park. We are trying to avoid people and public restrooms as much as possible, and booking it as quickly as we can to our next destination. There’s obviously a pandemic going on and we are trying our best to travel and see loved ones as safely as we can. That means tests and social distancing on either end of the trip before we work our way into a new quarantine bubble. The hours spent in the car haven’t not been fun obviously! Reuben and I discuss the weirdest things to pass the time, listen to a unique mix of bluegrass and disco while debating wedding dance songs, and get really excited whenever we see animals from a far. By the time we arrive at our next Airbnb we’re exhausted and order too much food for takeout, drink a ton of water, and then veg out on the couch while watching Super Store. I swear, it’s been fun (lol) !
Road tripping during Thanksgiving isn’t something new for us though. A few years ago we were in Spain around this time and spent Thanksgiving day eating gas station turkey sandwiches somewhere between Madrid and Granada. Other years, we’re driving north to spend time with friends in Portland and Seattle. Thanksgiving is rarely traditional for us and especially this year it’s going to look different for a lot of us. Smaller gatherings and smaller dinner spreads. You know what? That’s so okay!
I think there’s always a lot of pressure during Thanksgiving to have the perfect spread of glistening turkey, stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes with pools of butter, and the smoothest pumpkin pie. While all of that is great and delicious, it’s also fine just to eat ham or make your favorite cozy stew. Or maybe just buy some store bought puff pastry and stuff it onions, cheese, and greens (always a winning combo). This tart has all the flavors of your favorite stuffings and sides : ) You got caramelized onions, hearty greens in the form of gailan/Chinese broccoli (also kale, chard, or broccolini would work), and aged gouda! it would be great if you're only cooking for a small group of party of 2! Serve it with roast chicken, sausages, ham, tofurkey, or a turkey if you're really going for it!
Happy almost Thanksgiving to ya!
Gouda, Gailan, and Caramelized Onion Tart
makes 1 large tart
materials:
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 large white or yellow onions, thinly sliced
1lb puff pastry
6 oz Old Amsterdam Aged Gouda, shredded
2 cups (5 to 7 stalks) gailan, chopped or pulled apart
1 egg
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
steps:
In a pan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add sliced onions and cook until caramelized, tossing occasionally, 45 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to slightly cool.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry into a rectangle about 1/8” thick. Slide the puff pastry onto a sheet of parchment paper and onto the baking sheet. Layer the onions, gouda, and gailan over pastry, making sure to keep a 1” border clear.
Whisk the egg and brush egg wash over the edges of the pastry and fold over. Brush the surface of the pastry with more egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Drizzle olive oil over the filling.
Bake until flaky and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow the tart to cool slightly before cutting and serving.
Freezing/reheating instructions: The entire tart or individual slices can be frozen after baking. Wrap in foil and then plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, do not defrost. Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake uncover until crisp and warmed through, 20 to 25 minutes.