Wrapping up 2011 with some Beetroot Tatin

I'm not big on new year's eve, if it was up to me, I'd stay home and fall asleep in front of my tv, most likely before midnight. But I do like the idea of a new beginning, a new start. It's the end of a cycle, the time to reflect on what happened, but also to look forward to something new. I know it's a bit silly, but I still like to take some resolutions, hoping to improve in the new year.

One of the good things in 2011 for me, was starting this blog. I've always been baking and cooking, but blogging about it made me more curious, more interested about food and what revolves around it. Reading books, articles, magazines, paying attention to what every season has to offer us, this is what I had fun doing, and will continue to next year.

So let's finish the year on a celebration, well just a tiny personal one and related to food, obviously. As said, trying new things or experimenting is part of the fun, and I've given a childhood bad memory an other try: the beetroot. Turns out it was worth it, not only is it a very healthy vegetable, but it can actually be good too!

It makes sense to pick a recipe from one of my favorit book of the year "Bryn's Kitchen", and his beetroot tatin. I was afraid that the very little ingredients and seasoning was not going to be enough, but the caramelized beetroot are delicious, it was worth the burns on both my hands (gosh I don't like making caramel!).

I wish you all a very happy new year, I hope 2012 will be filled with joy, love, health and good food!

Beetroot Tatin (from "Bryn's Kitchen")

Serves 2

3 Beetroots
200gr of Rock Salt
70gr of Butter
70gr of Sugar
100gr of Puff Pastry
1 Egg
Flour, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 180°C

Line an oven dish with rock salt. Wrap each beetroot in aluminium foil and place them in the dish. Bake in the oven for 1 hour and a half.
When you take them out of the oven, leave them in the foil to cool, it will make it easier to peel them.

I would advice you use some rubber gloves to peel and cut the beetroot, as the color is quite hard to wash off. Peel them and depending on the size, cut them in 4 or 6 parts.

Use a frying pan (about 20cm) that you can put in the oven. Cut the butter into slices and try to cover the bottom of the pan with it as evenly as possible, springle the sugar on top.
Now place the pan on a medium heat, until you have light golden caramel. Carefully try to place the beetroot, going around like you would for an apple pie.
Take the pan away from the heat and let it cool.

On a workface dusted with flour, roll out the puff pastry. Cut a circle that is a bit larger than the pan. Place in carefully on top of the beetroot and tuck in the excess pastry. Beat the egg slightly, and brush the pastry with it.

Now place in the oven for 40 minutes, but check the color of the pastry every once in a while, it needs to be nicely golden, and you can see some beetroot caramel on the sides aswell.

When you take it out of the oven, invert it on you serving dish, but be carefull as the caramel is really hot at this point.