First Dry January and now this?! Healthy living is the name of the game this month, and a vegetarian entrée is extremely valuable at this time of year. Anything to give us a break from meat and potatoes. With the first proper snowfall on the ground we’re looking for a vegetarian dish that’s hearty and beautiful.
Not since the critic, Anton Ego, in Ratatouille shed a tear over that film’s namesake dish has a vegetable achieved such perfection, and with the lowly root vegetable at that. Gather round and let us tell you about the recipe that will bring your root veg up to a level fit for the gods. We’re talking about tian. Here’s everything you need to know.
photo courtesy of Food & Wine
The secret to this recipe, and ratatouille for that matter, is the mandoline. That’s one tool that can really change your game in the kitchen. Uniform slices can be yours with a flick of the wrist, although injury is a constant fear. You can get protective gloves or use the guard that comes with the mandoline, but experience has taught us that the best method is just mindfulness. Don’t mindlessly start slicing away while listening to your true crime podcast and watching the hockey game. Pay attention and you’ll be fine. Here’s a tutorial:
This particular tian, inspired by Food & Wine, incorporates parsnips, beets and sweet potato – the combination is perfect. Taken together it’s a beautiful example of how incredible root vegetables can be. The base is a bean purée that allows the uniformly sliced discs to be laid out in a spiral that holds its shape through the cooking process.
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, kidney beans or black beans, drained, 1/4 cup liquid reserved
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
- 3 medium-size red beets, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
- 3 parsnips, peeled and sliced diagonally into 1/8-inch-thick slices
- 1 small red onion, sliced crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced or microplaned
Directions
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine beans or chickpeas, reserved 1/4 cup liquid, minced garlic in a food processor; process until mixture is mostly smooth, about 30 seconds. Season to taste and process to incorporate. Spread purée evenly on bottom of a 9-inch round baking dish. Starting at outer edge of dish, arrange groupings of 2 or 3 slices of each vegetable, layering and overlapping slightly, in 2 concentric circles, using the purée to steady slices. Use remaining vegetable slices in center to fill up dish.
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Brush top of vegetables with oil; sprinkle with pepper and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle cheese and thyme over tian.
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Cover tightly with aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast in preheated oven 35 minutes. Uncover and roast until top is lightly browned and vegetables are tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.