Originally tian refers to a classic ceramic gratin dish than is frequently used in French Provencal cuisine. With times, it moves to what was inside the dish.
A tian is always made with sliced vegetables arranged in altering rows. Meat can be used to accentuate the taste.
A tian dish always looks inviting. It is comfort food at its best that can easily feed a large group. The tian recipes scream alfresco dinner.
The July-August 2008 issue of Saveurs features 4 tasty tian recipes. For a twist, they propose an entrée version of tomatoes, goat cheese and pine nuts. The classic Provencal tian is made of tomatoes, eggplants, zucchinis, anchovies, olives and fresh rosemary.
Tomatoes, Goat Cheese And Pine Nuts Tian Recipe
Recipe by Valery Drouet – translated from Saveurs
Ingredients for 4 servings:
- 4 tomatoes
- 8 ounces (250 grams) of lightly dried goat cheese
- 1 tablespoon of fir honey
- 4 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 ounces (60 grams) of pine nuts
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to prepare the recipe:
- Heat on the stove the honey and olive oil with some salt and pepper.
- Slice the tomatoes and the goat cheese. Aim for a regular thickness.
- Preheat the oven grill
- Place a sheet of parchment paper (waxed paper is not oven-proof) in 4 individual oven dishes. Layer the tomatoes and the goat cheese in an altering pattern. Sprinkle the pine nuts and pour the honey-olive oil mixture.
- Put under the grill for 8 to 10 minutes
- Serve immediately with a mesclun salad and a white Bellet wine, if you can find one of the oldest vineyards in France.
It is hard to find a bottle of Bellet wine outside France since it is also one of the smallest French appellations. The Bellet vineyards are located next to the city of Nice. The main grapes are Rolle (80 to 90%) with a hint of Chardonnay. Honey and bananas are the main aromas.
The last two pictures illustrate the charms of using vintage metal pots to serve family-style your meals. Take advantage of the Labour Day weekend to prepare a similar setting.
Calling for Help
If you read French, I encourage you to find the July-August 2008 issue. There is also an interesting article on ice cream. I regularly buy this magazine since it is widely available in Montreal. I am not sure if you can find it on specialty shops across North America. If you know a source in English Canada or the United States, share it by commenting.
SOURCING:
+ Saveurs
+ Tians photographed by Valéry Guedes, Styled by Valéry Drouet for July-August 2008 of Saveurs – pages 26-27
+ Bottom pictures photographed by Éric Fénot, Styled by Delphine Brunet for July-August 2008 of Saveurs – pages 56-57
