Shallot Tarte Tatin

Ingredients

• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed ((about 250g))
• 10-15 small-medium shallots
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 5 tbsp butter (cold)
• 200 g unripened plain goat cheese
• fresh chives for garnish
• salt (I'm using Diamond Crystal)
• olive oil
• flour (for rolling out pastry dough)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Transfer goat cheese to a small bowl and place near stove top to warm slightly.
• Dust a large cutting board with flour. Roll out your pastry sheet and sprinkle with a little more flour. Take a 10" skillet and flip it over onto the floured pastry. Using a knife, trace a line around the pan. Peal away the excess pastry and discard. You should be left with a 10" round of dough. Set aside.
• Halve 10-15 small shallots length-wise from root to tip. Peel back the skin and trim the dirty part of the root end. The root should still be in tact but look neat and pretty.
• Heat your 10" skillet on medium-low. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and arrange your shallot halves open-side down in the oil. Increase heat to medium-high and let cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip, season with 1/2 tsp salt and add 1/3 cup water. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and let cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until the shallots are soft and a knife can easily slide in and out without resistance. Remove and set aside. There might be a few shallots with dried and craggily outer layers. Peel those dry layers off and discard.
• Back in the skillet, wipe away any excess water and heat on medium. Add 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar and 2 tbsp brown sugar, whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Add 1 tbsp dijon and the leaves of 4 sprigs of fresh thyme. Whisk until combined, then slowly whisk in cold butter until a glossy, thick sauce forms. It should be able to coat the back of a spoon. Season with a pinch of salt, then taste and adjust.
• Add your shallots back in and arrange them open-side down, so they each have a cozy little spot in the sauce. Using a fork, prick several holes in the pastry round. Transfer the hole-y dough to the skillet to cover, and gently press down around the edges. Bake at 375°F for 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling around the edges.
• Let the pan cool slightly (enough that you can hold it without burning, then flip it over unto a cutting board. If some of the shallots stick to the bottom of the pan, don't fret! Use a spatula, or spoon, to scoop them up and place them back on the tart. No one will ever know. Cut the tarte tatin into 8 slices and top with a scoop of room temperature goat cheese and freshly sliced chives.

A savory, caramelized-shallot tarte tatin with goat cheese; great for a holiday menu. Recipe from Stefanie Phillips (shared via Instagram).