Just one thing
and a recipe for caramelized tomato tatins that are savoury deliciousness
And so another year begins.
With the turning of the calendar page, there’s a blank slate before us, fresh and white and clean as early morning snow. This year, more than ever, it feels like we’re ready for something wonderful. Making space to ponder what that might mean is the trick of it.
Resolutions, In/Out lists, predictions and prognosticators proliferate. We overwhelm ourselves with all that we could, might or really should do. It’s enough to make you want to pull the covers over your head.
In the noise of a New Year’s Eve past and the silence of the morning after, perhaps keeping things simple might just be the best way to welcome in 2023. This Portuguese proverb offers a one-ingredient recipe for success:
"Think of many things. Do one."
Taking my own advice
Picking just one thing is never easy, and with the expanse of the calendar year rolled out before me, I can’t help but be caught up in possibilities.
New experiences to expand my heart beyond its bounds, scattering past sorrow, disappointment or regret far afield. New people to meet and learn from, their perspectives so different from my own that I’m shaken out of complacency.
New recipes to try, and in their making, gatherings to plan, friends to revel in, memories to create. Seasons to celebrate, oranges and pomegranates and asparagus and rhubarb and tomatoes and corn and peaches and apples and shelling beans and cabbage and kale.
Above all, new things to write about, keeping my learner’s mind alive and tingling.
Yet, staying in the moment, picking just one thing, may be the best advice of all. As author James Clear recently said: “The moment in front of you right now is a good one. Make the most of it.”
Delicious Bits has become that moment - an opportunity for me to focus on one thing and share what’s on my mind. It might be to offer a perspective on something I’ve read, ask a question that we can puzzle out together, or simply reflect on what’s in the zeitgeist. I’ll continue to use this space to explore, ponder, let my mind wander a bit. And while I can’t promise that I’ll be able to stay the course and not get distracted by all the bright shiny objects in view, what I can promise you, dear reader, is that I’ll try to keep things interesting, Above all, I’ll always offer a delicious recipe for you to try.
It’s been wonderful sharing this space with you for the past two years. Here’s to many more Sundays together.
(PS. I’d love to know what you’d like to read about and enjoy most; share your thoughts in the comments below!)
Tomato Tartes Tatin
from Don’t Worry, Just Cook, Bonnie Stern and Anna Rupert
Last week I wrote about my conversation with Bonnie Stern and Anna Rupert, the authors of the wonderful new cookbook Don’t Worry, Just Cook. I was thrilled to be able to contribute a recipe to the cookbook, and promised to share it this week. And if you entered my giveaway to win a signed copy of Don’t Worry, Just Cook, I’ll be announcing the winner over on Instagram later today!
Like all of the recipes in the book, this one is simple, delicious and can be made quickly. I offer a few tips to make this even easier:
While Bonnie offers a great recipe for puff pastry, a good quality store bought puff pastry is equally good, and what I always use. Look for an all-butter puff pastry, which doesn’t have added sugar. Having some in the freezer at the ready is very useful for all kinds of recipes.
Cherry tomatoes vary greatly in water content. In step 2, you may find that the tomatoes release a lot of liquid, and aren’t caramelizing. If that’s the case, use a small ladle to scoop out some of the liquid, and continue cooking. Reserve the flavourful liquid, and chill for a fabulous vinaigrette.
Easily doubled, the cherry tomatoes are wonderful with eggs, an accompaniment to fish or chicken, or as a topping for crostini.
I like to take a cue from Bonnie and scatter more fresh thyme on top and around the tatins before serving. Fresh herbs add a lovely finishing touch to whatever dish you’re making.
Ingredients
⅓ cup butter
2 shallots, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 cups cherry tomatoes (about 1 pound), halved
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
24 ¼ inch sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for serving
½ pound store-bought puff pastry
Heat oven to 400F.
Melt butter in large skillet set over medium heat. Add shallots, balsamic vinegar and sugar. Cook for a few minutes, or until shallots are tender, then add tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes are caramelized and starting to collapse, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Butter or spray 24-cup mini-muffin pan. (If you don’t have a mini-muffin pan, make these double the size in a regular size 12-cup muffin pan).
Place sprig of thyme in each muffin cup. Add 2 or 3 tomato halves and some of the juices. Let tomatoes cool in pan to room temperature.
Roll out puff pastry on lightly floured work surface to thickness of 1/4″ or thinner. Using a 2 1/2″ round pastry cutter, cut out 24 rounds. Gently press rounds into muffin cups on top of tomatoes.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned. Cool for 5 minutes on wire rack. Scoop and turn tartes tatin out of muffin pan one at a time, using fork and spoon, so that tomatoes are on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.