Rustic Vegetable Tart with Bacon Marmalade

I found this recipe in Food and Wine Magazine.  It is a recipe adapted by Timothy Hollingsworth. I’ve tweeked it here and there to make it a little simpler.  The crust and the marmalade can be made ahead of time to save on last minute preparation. A delicious appetizer served with a crisp oak-y chardonnay.

For the Bacon Marmalade:

12 slices of bacon, finely chopped

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 medium shallots, minced

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup chicken stock

salt and pepper

For the Crust:

1 cup flour

1 tbsp. sugar salt

4 tbsp. melted butter

1 large egg, beaten

egg wash – 1 beaten egg mixed with 1 tbsp. milk

For the Roasted Vegetable Topping:

3/4 lb. chopped mixed mushrooms

1/2 lb. halved small Brussels sprouts

4 ounces pearl onions (I buy these in the freezer section to eliminate the peeling)

4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

For the fresh toppings:

1 cup torn tender escarole leaves

1/2 cup torn radicchio

Marmalade – in a large skillet, cook the bacon in the oil over moderately high heat until browned and crisp.  Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Pour all but 2 tbsp. of the fat from the skillet into a heatproof bowl.  Add the shallots to the skillet and cook over low heat until softened bot not browned.  Add the vinegar and brown sugar and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally until vinegar is reduced by half.  Whisk in the chicken stock and cook until reduced to a thick syrup, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bacon and whisk in 1/3 cup of the reserved bacon fat. Let cool until thickened slightly, then season with salt and pepper.

Crust – Preheat oven to 350F. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt.  At medium speed, gradually add the melted butter and the egg until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and press the dough into a disk. Working on a sheet of parchment paper, roll out the dough to a 12 by 10″ oval, about 1/8″ thick. Slide the dough on the parchment onto a large baking sheet.  Brush with the egg wash and top with another sheet of parchment paper and another baking sheet.  Bake for about 10 minutes. remove the top baking sheet and parchment paper and bake the crust for 10 minutes more until browned and crisp.  Transfer to rack to cool.

Topping – On a large baking sheet, toss the mushrooms with the brussels sprouts, onions and oil.  Season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 35 minutes until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned.  Let cool slightly.

To Serve – Transfer the crust to a platter and spread half of the bacon marmalade on top. In a large bowl, toss the roasted vegetables with the escarole and radicchio.  Season generously with salt and pepper.  Pile the vegetables on the crust. Drizzle a bit more of the bacon marmalade on top and serve.