Cauliflower | 20something cupcakes

Damn you, Mark Bittman.

I already can barely take the artificial taste of store-bought hummus – and now, it’ll be hard to go back to the homemade kind I used to be quite happy with…you know, the kind made with canned chickpeas.

{#foodmattersproblems}

This is what hummus is supposed to taste like. If you’re a hummus-lover, which I bet many of you are, you’ll be blown away by the difference in both flavor and texture that happens when you go that extra mile and cook your own chickpeas.

Only you don’t have to go an extra mile, really – as Mark proves in his instructions for cooking dried beans. To soak, or not to soak…that is the question. Most people, including myself, are turned off by the fact that dried beans require an overnight soak prior to cooking. Not because it’s hard to fill a bowl with water and beans, but because it requires planning ahead. Well, you’ll be thrilled to know that Mark says he’s done it every which way, and he doesn’t find the soaking to make a difference. Boom!

Let’s call it an extra couple of yards you’ve gotta go to do hummus the right way. No soaking overnight, just simmering a pot of beans for an hour or so. Next time, I might try this in my slow cooker – I’ve heard that’s a thing people do.

Totally. Worth. It.

Allow me to introduce to you to the best tart I’ve ever made.

{Or eaten}

Truth be told, this is the first tart I’ve ever made – and what a delicious introduction it was.

Now when you think of a tart, you might first think of those fabulous little confections of fruit and custard that frequent the counter of your favorite pâtisserie or bakery; but here – we’re talking savory tarts. I made this particular one for a couple of extra-special girlfriends who were down visiting me from NYC last month. I had some mascarpone and store-bought pie crust in the fridge that I needed to use, and after carefully scouring the web for the perfect recipe, I found this tart.

And it was just that – perfect. From the roasted cauliflower drizzled in truffle oil, to not one – but three fabulous cheeses {mascarpone – which is an Italian cream cheese, Gruyère – one of my favorite cheeses ever, and Parmesan}, to those perfectly sweet + slow-cooked caramelized onions…do I need to say anything more?

YOU.JUST.HAVE.TO.MAKE.IT.

On the side, I served Ina’s green salad and creamy vinaigrette. This is my favorite go-to salad to serve alongside a more complex main dish. The dressing is light and creamy, and coats the greens so beautifully. The champagne vinegar does give it some bite, which I love – but be careful because there are raw egg yolks in it, so if that freaks you out, you may want to go with something else. If, however, you’re anything like me – and you tend to eat high quantities of any type of cookie/cake/brownie batter – you shouldn’t be too worried about it, right?

Cauliflower and Caramelized Onion Tart

Found on Smitten Kitchen, adapted from Bon Appetit, March 2007

1 small head of cauliflower (about 1 pound) or 1 pound of a larger head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon truffle oil or a few pinches of truffle salt – I used oil
1 refrigerated pie crust {worked out great, though next time I’ll likely make my own – it’s not that difficult – see the Smitten Kitchen link above}
1 large onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 large eggs
1 (7- to 8- ounce) container mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

*I caramelized my onions and roasted my cauliflower at the same time, the night before. If you have some free time, I recommend doing it this way – it broke everything up nicely. Have a glass of wine {or two} and make a little night of it. Just make sure to store the cauliflower and the onions in different containers in the fridge. You can also bake the entire tart up to one day beforehand, reheating in a warm oven the day of.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Toss cauliflower with 2 tablespoons olive oil in large bowl. Spread on rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast 15 minutes before turning florets over and roasting until brown and tender, another 15-20 minutes. Cool cauliflower then chop or slice and drizzle with truffle oil or sprinkle with truffle salt. Reduce temperature to 350°F.

Press your pie crust dough onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Line crust with foil, fill with pie weights (I use uncooked rice or beans – you just need something to weigh it down) and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights then bake until crust is golden, about 5 additionally minutes. Press crust back with the back of a fork if bubbles form. Cool crust and maintain oven temperature.

Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until onion is a deep golden brown, stirring occasionally. This should take between 30 to 40 minutes – and for that reason, I recommend doing it the day before.

Use a knife or brush to spread the bottom and sides of crust with mustard. Spread onion over crust. Arrange cauliflower over the onion. Set the tart on a rimmed baking sheet (to protect against leaks). Whisk eggs, mascarpone, cream, pepper, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Stir in Gruyère. Pour mixture over filling in tart pan, sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until tart is golden and center is set, about 40 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.