Tatin of Caramelized Leeks

from Eveline Saglibene

adapted by Judy O'Shea

serves 6 as a first course

3 tablespoons water, divided

4 ounces salted butter

salt and pepper

1 1/4 cups flour

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4 cup cream mixed with 1 tablespoon curry powder

2 tablespoons sugar

6 leeks (cleaned), white part only, cut into 3/4-inch long pieces

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8-inch cake pan.

Heat 2 tablespoons of water and butter with a pinch of salt in a small pan. When it starts to boil, dump it into a mixing bowl and add the flour. Mix until homogeneous, roll into a ball, cover the pastry in a damp dish towel and put it in the refrigerator to rest.

For the caramel, heat the sugar with 1 tablespoon water in a non-stick pan until it turns amber colored. Take off the fire and quickly whip in the cream and curry mixture. Pour the caramel into the bottom of the buttered cake pan. Arrange the leek sections with a cut side up. Pack them closely since they'll shrink a bit. Salt and pepper them.

Roll out the pastry between sheets of plastic wrap into a circle slightly smaller than the cake pan; place on top of the leeks. Do not let the pastry touch the sides of the pan. Bake for about 45 minutes. While still hot, loosen the edges of the pastry with a knife, put a large serving plate on top and turn out the tatin on the serving plate. If any leeks stick, just rearrange them. Powder the top
with curry powder. Serve at room temperature, garnished with the chopped parsley.

Eveline served this as a first course on a warm summer evening on tables on the lawn, set with white linen at a thirteenth century château with a spectacular view of the Sorgue River Valley. Extraordinary!