Copycat Shitake & Goat Cheese Tarts with Vidalia Onion Marmalade

Let's just continue with the copying of restaurant recipes today with these scrumptious tarts. I dare you to try these and not like them. Our taste buds danced the first time we tried these little gems at Heirloom (Midway, KY). Midway is the darnedest little place, having more 5-star restaurants within a one-mile radius than the entire city of Lexington. That might be a stretch but I'd choose Heirloom or Holly Hill over any of the restaurants in Lexington any day of the week.

So when our local paper featured Heirloom in the "dining spot" of the Lifestyles magazine, I was all ears. And what do you know, the feature recipe was none other than the lovely goat cheese tart we had had on our first visit! This tart continued to be on their menu until just recently when Wes discovered, must to his dismay, that it has been removed from their current menu. I have the recipe now and when I have several hours, can reproduce a close replica of the original. The key ingredient is the Humboldt Fog goat cheese. This is serious stuff people! It's expensive but it's worth every red cent I tell ya. None of the other ingredients are all that unusual, you just have to have the time to make the crust, let it sit, and let the onions caramelize. I usually serve this as a side but it could easily be the main entree of a vegetarian meal.

Heirloom's Shitake & Goat Cheese Tarts with Vidalia Onion Marmalade

Shells:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 oz (1 stick) butter, chilled (I only used about 7 T.)
2 egg yolks
water to bring together

Process butter and flour 10 seconds in a food processor. Add yolks and process 10 seconds more. Add water slowly until dough comes together. Form into disk, and chill 1 hour. Roll out dough 1/4-inch thick and place into 4- or 5-inch tart molds (I used 6). Pre-bake shells for 10 minutes at 325.

Filling:
4 oz goat cheese, softened (Humboldt Fog - found at Whole Foods or Fresh Market)
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 oz sauteed shitake mushrooms (I just now see that I was supposed to saute them first, whoops)
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste

Blend in food processor until well combined.

Marmalade:
1 small vidalia onion, julienned
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (I used about 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup sugar (I only used about 2 T.)
2 cups red wine (I omitted this this time because I didn't think it added a ton for the expense)

Combine ingredients and cook in saucepan over low heat until liquid is almost completely reduced. (This takes some time, i.e. 30 minutes or more.)

Put filling in a piping bag and pie it into pre-baked shells - no need to pipe, spooning works just fine. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Drizzle with marmalade just before serving.