Late March days, the Charles Dickens kind, "when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade” *; March days like that are just perfect for leisurely strolls through the city. I love Paris in every season, but never is she more beautiful than right now, when nature awakens, and the magnolia trees stand in bloom. My favorite ones are in jardin du Palais Royal in the 1st arrondissement, studded with the prettiest purple flowers you might imagine. Those shades of pale pink, combined with brown and taupe from wood and facades, it´s a combination so beautiful, so timelessly elegant no one can escape its charm: not the grown-ups ceaselessly taking photos with iPhones and cameras, not those who came for a picnic around the fountain or underneath the trees, not the kids who make friends sitting on the ground, picking up fallen leaves from the dust. On days like these, dancing on the edge of shadow and light, a mood of anticipation fills the air I wish would linger on forever.
Another - yet edible - spring fling of mine are those small purple artichokes called poivrades. Sold in bunches of four or five, they remind of a flower bouquet rather than a vegetable, and again, shades of purple, this time combined with green - almost too pretty to eat. But just almost. Here, they go into a slightly parmesan-y tart shell, along with champignon mushrooms (named chamignons roses in French), crème fraîche, and some shavings of endives. Purple ones, bien sûr ;-).
Another - yet edible - spring fling of mine are those small purple artichokes called poivrades. Sold in bunches of four or five, they remind of a flower bouquet rather than a vegetable, and again, shades of purple, this time combined with green - almost too pretty to eat. But just almost. Here, they go into a slightly parmesan-y tart shell, along with champignon mushrooms (named chamignons roses in French), crème fraîche, and some shavings of endives. Purple ones, bien sûr ;-).
Late March days, the Charles Dickens kind - I imagine them to taste something like this.
* quote from the novel "Great expectations" by Charles Dickens
Artichoke tart with mushrooms & parmesan
If you prefer a more pronounced parmesan flavor - and a richer tart -, use more (up to 80 or 100 g) of the grated cheese in the crust and cut down the amount of flour accordingly.
Pâte sablée:
170 g flour
30 g finely grated parmesan
1 egg yolk
100 g cubed butter
3 tbsp cold water, as needed
pinch of salt
Filling and garnish:
5-6 (1 bunch) purple artichokes, trimmed, choke removed, quartered
8-10 medium brown champignons, sliced (champignons roses)
1 purple endive, finely sliced (alternatively, radicchio)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
4-5 tbsp crème fraîche
1 egg yolk
2 handfuls of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
parmesan shavings
1 lemon, halved
salt and pepper
ground nutmeg
olive oil for frying
For the crust, combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine well until you obtain a homogenous, slightly crumbly crust. Shape a disc, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.
Cut the stem off the artichokes and pluck 4 or 5 layers of the thick outer leaves - when in doubt, remove more. Cut about 2/3 of the remaining leaves. Slice artichoke lengthwise, and spoon out any fuzzy choke, if there is any, with the help of a teaspoon. Slice each artichoke halve again to end up with quarters. Rub artichokes with lemon immediately (alternatively, place them in a bowl filled with cold water + juice of 1 lemon) to avoid them from getting brownish.
Mince the garlic. Slice endives or radicchio. Gently clean the mushrooms, and pat dry with kitchen paper. Slice mushrooms in 2-3mm thick slices.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
Line a buttered tart pan (preferrably one with a removable base) with the tart pastry. Refrigerate again.
In a large pan, heat a few tbsp olive oil and fry mushrooms at high heat for 2-3 min. Season with salt. Add artichokes, a splash of lemon juice and continue to cook until artichokes are almost done, 5-7 minutes or so. Add half the garlic, half the sliced endive (or radicchio), give it a good stir (30 sec) and remove from heat.
Once the oven is hot, blind bake the crust for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden around the edges. To do so, frick pastry with a fork multiple times, cover with a sheet of parchment paper and weigh down with oven proof weights or a second tart pan slightly smaller than the first one.
In a small bowl,mix the remaining garlic with crème fraîche, and egg yolk, half the parsley. Season with salt, a dash of pepper, and ground nutmeg.
After 12-15 minutes, take crust out of the oven, spread garlic cream all over. Arrange artichoke-mushroom mixture, and bake for another 25-30 minutes, until cream is set.
To serve, sprinkle with remaining finely sliced endive and parmesan shavings.
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