Rhubarb Gastrique Galette w/ Goat Cheese OR Tarts Gone Wild

The word galette comes from the old French word ‘galet’, which means rounded pebble. Made with puff pastry or flaky pie or tart dough (let’s just say pate brisee from here on out, it sounds more authentic and is shorter to write) a galette is a tart gone wild, free form. Like a tart, a galette can be sweet or savory but since the crust is usually thinner a lighter application of fillings is advised.


Rhubarb Gastrique and Goat Cheese Galette

One batch sweet pate brisee dough
4 ounces goat cheese
Approximately ¾ cup Rhubarb Gastrique

When I made the dough for my asparagus buttermilk tart I whipped up a sweet dough as well, that way I only had to clean the food processor once. I used the same recipe and just added sugar.

While the oven preheated to 425, I rolled out the dough into a roughly round shape about a ¼ of an inch thick (I probably could have gone a little thinner but the dough was getting warm) and then transferred it to a Silpat baking mat (parchment paper also works but I don’t have any) to make getting the galette in and out of the oven easier. Then I slathered on some of the rhubarb gastrique, leaving about two inches of dough bare along the outside edges. On top of that I sprinkled four ounces of goat cheese and then folded the edges of the dough in, overlapping or folding as necessary, leaving the center exposed. I transferred the Silpat directly onto the pizza stone that’s always in the oven and baked on the middle rack for 35-40 minutes until the dough was golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Simple and delicious, thumbs up from all the neighbors I shared with.

Lazy Tuesday Post ie: LEFTOVERS

Leftover Pork, Gastrique, and Quinoa Salad W/ Goat Cheese



I layered the quinoa on the bottom, topped it with lettuce, drizzled that with oil and vinegar and then finished it off with the remaining pork chop from the other night, chopped and tossed with the rhubarb gastrique. Crutons for crunch. Goat cheese for creamy. Yum.

I struggled to take a pretty picture of this but rhubarb, I've discovered, photographs best before it's cooked. The goat cheese and the gastrique were fabulous together.Hmmmm?

Eek, Gastrique! Pretty darn good, actually.

5 Spice Marinated Pork Chops w/ Rhubarb Gastrique

After I made the rhubarb simple syrup I had some leftover well cooked and sweetened rhubarb (from here on out to be known as schmoo) that I couldn’t bear to throw out. Don’t ask me why, I still have several pounds of uncut rhubarb languishing in the refrigerator, but unable to toss the stuff I decided to make a gastrique—a sauce made with a sugar/vinegar reduction. Tangy and not too sweet.

I used balsamic vinegar but read that red wine vinegar is best and in the end I had to add a tablespoon or so of cider vinegar to get the sauce as tangy as I wanted it.

Rhubarb Gastrique

½ cup Balsamic Vinegar (I used the Trader Joe’s cheap stuff, which is great for any balsamic reduction or sauce)
+ 1 TBSP cider vinegar added at the end

½ cup sugar (I used less than recommended in most of the recipes I perused because the rhubarb schmoo from the simple syrup was already quite sweet)

½ cup water

2 sprigs rosemary

About a cup of rhubarb schmoo plus another 1 ½ cups fresh finely chopped rhubarb

Simmer vinegar, sugar, water, and rosemary until liquid is reduced by half (about 10-15 minutes). Remove rosemary and add fresh rhubarb, cook an additional ten minutes. Add rhubarb schmoo and cook, stirring regularly, until a thick sauce is formed. Remove from heat, salt and pepper to taste.

The tangy subtle sweetness of this sauce immediately made me think of barbeque. I marinated some chops in a 5 spice marinade (again from Trader Joe’s, I guess I buy a lot of my condiments there). I was going to grill them but the fellow got home late and I didn’t want to disturb the neighbors with the smoke and inevitable clanging late night grilling can bring so I just broiled the chops.

Served with sautéed red chard and red onions fresh from the farmers market, and some quinoa. The quinoa was the perfect grain for this meal- flavorful enough to stand up to and compliment the gastrique.