Autumn Potato Tart ala Fleming's

You might find this recipe for Autumn Potato Tart by Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar's Executive Chef Russell Skall a nice change from the usual potato casserole. It is a nice holiday accompaniment to beef, chicken or lamb. With poultry, a nice floral. fruity variety to pair is 2007 Conundrum, California White Table Wine. With beef or lamb, try a Kelly Fleming Cabernet Sauvignon.

Autumn Potato Tart

Ingredients
1-1/2 lb. Idaho potatoes (3-4 potatoes)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
3/4 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp. Kosher salt
2 tsp. black pepper
1 shallot, minced
1 potato peeled (for top of tarts)
6 tbsp. and 1 tsp. melted butter
5 tsp. sour cream

Instructions
Clean potatoes, then place them on a sheet pan. Bake in a 350˚F oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool potatoes overnight. Peel and shred on the large side of a box grater. Place shredded potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Gently fold in grated cheddar cheese, thyme leaves, 1 tsp. Kosher salt and 1 tsp. black pepper.
Melt 1 tsp. butter in a small sauté pan on medium heat. Add the minced shallot and cook for 1 minute, then fold into potato mixture. Divide the potato mixture into 5 equal portions. Using a 3-inch ring mold, press mixture firmly in mold to form five 1-1/4-inch-tall cakes. Reserve.

Peel the one potato and rinse under cold water. Thinly slice crosswise and divide into 5 groups of 4-5 slices each. Melt the 6 tbsp. of butter in a 14-inch nonstick pan. Sprinkle 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper in the pan. On top of the butter, arrange the 4-5 slices in a 3-inch overlapping circular pattern (like an overlapping pinwheel). Place 1 each of the prepped potato tarts on top of the potatoes slices. Put the pan on the stove set on medium heat and cook until the edges of the sliced potato become golden brown in color, about 4-5 minutes. Invert the potatoes in the pan and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

Place on serving plates topped off with 1 tsp. of sour cream and 1 tsp. of Bacon Jam on the side.

Makes 5 individual tarts.

Bacon Jam

Ingredients
1 lb. bacon, diced
1/3 cup yellow onion, diced
Pinch ground cumin
Pinch paprika
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tbsp. maple syrup
Pinch black pepper

Instructions
Dice the bacon into 1/4-inch pieces, then place in a 12-inch sauté pan and cook over low heat, stirring often until bacon is crispy but not scorched. Remove bacon with a perforated spoon and drain on a paper towel. Cut onions into 1/4-inch dice, and sauté in the hot pan with bacon drippings over low heat. Stir often so that onions don’t burn. Cook for 15 minutes or until onions begin to caramelize and soften. Add cumin and paprika and stir well, cooking for 5 minutes. Remove onions from pan and place in a food processor with the bacon, vinegar, maple syrup and black pepper. Pulse until the mixture is the consistency of a pesto, 20-25 seconds. Makes enough jam for 5 individual tarts.