Mango rainbow roots tarte tatin

By Gurdeep Loyal
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

For the Pink Pickled Onions with Lychees:

• Lychees in syrup (halved): 15–20
• Lychee sugar syrup (from the tin): 100ml/3½fl oz
• White vinegar: 100ml/3½fl oz
• Lime juice: 4 tbsp
• Fine sea salt: 1 tbsp
• Caster sugar: 1 tbsp
• Crushed coriander seeds: 1 tsp
• Dried chilli flakes: 1 tsp
• Red onions (medium, sliced into 5mm/¼in thin rings): 2

For the Tarte Tatin:

• Ready-rolled puff pastry (320g pack)
• Mixed-color beetroot (yellow or candy stripe, sliced into 1.5cm/⅝in rounds): 3 small
• Carrots (preferably different colors, sliced into 1.5cm/⅝in rounds): 2 small
• Parsnips (sliced into 1.5cm/⅝in rounds): 2 small
• Olive oil: 2 tbsp
• Crushed nigella seeds: 1 tsp
• Whole garlic cloves (unpeeled): 10
• Butter: 20g/¾oz
• Fresh chopped rosemary: 1 tsp
• Dark brown sugar: 1 tbsp
• White wine vinegar: 1 tbsp
• Mango chutney: 4 tbsp
• English mustard: 1 tsp
• Fine sea salt: ½ tsp

Method

Pink Pickled Onions with Lychees:

1. Prepare the Pickling Liquor:
   • In a bowl, whisk together the syrup from the lychee tin, white vinegar, lime juice, salt, and caster sugar with 100ml/3½fl oz of warm water.
   • Whisk until the sugar and salt have completely dissolved.
   • Add the crushed coriander seeds and dried chilli flakes to finish the pickling liquor.
2. Layer the Onions and Lychees:
   • Sterilize a glass jar.
   • Layer the sliced red onions and halved lychee pieces in the jar.
   • Pour the pickling liquor over the onions and lychees, ensuring that the spices are included.
   • Seal the jar with an airtight lid.
   • Let it pickle in a cool, dark place for at least 1 hour.

Tarte Tatin:

1. Preheat the Oven:
   • Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C for fan ovens) or Gas Mark 6.
2. Prepare the Puff Pastry:
   • Roll out the puff pastry sheet slightly.
   • Use a large ovenproof frying pan as a guide and cut around it, leaving a 1cm/½in extra overhang.
   • Wrap the pastry disc in cling film and chill it in the fridge.
3. Roast the Vegetables:
   • Spread the sliced beetroot, carrots, and parsnips in a single layer on a baking sheet.
   • Add the garlic cloves (still in their skins).
   • Drizzle with olive oil, season with a pinch of salt, and sprinkle with nigella seeds.
   • Roast the vegetables in the oven for 20 minutes.
   • Remove the garlic cloves and roast the roots for an extra 5 minutes.
   • Remove from the oven and set aside.
4. Prepare the Garlic Paste:
   • Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skins into a bowl.
   • Mash it into a paste and let it cool.
5. Make the Glaze:
   • In a large flameproof frying pan, melt the butter.
   • Add rosemary, dark brown sugar, and salt.
   • Whisk well as the sugar starts to caramelize.
   • Add the vinegar and whisk until it forms a loose caramel glaze.
   • Stir in mango chutney and English mustard, cooking for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
6. Assemble the Tarte Tatin:
   • Pour half of the glaze into a heatproof jug.
   • Spread the remaining glaze evenly in the pan.
   • Arrange the roasted roots in a rainbow design on top.
   • Place the pastry disc (with cooled roasted garlic paste) over the roots, tucking in the overhang to encase the roots completely.
   • Bake for 24–26 minutes, rotating halfway through to ensure even cooking and prevent burning.
7. Serve:
   • Carefully remove the pan from the oven using oven gloves.
   • Use a spatula to loosen the pastry from the sides.
   • Let it cool for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a plate.
   • Enjoy with a green salad and the pink pickled onions alongside!