Goat Cheese and Onion Tart with Tue-Boeuf '07 Brin de Chevre
A couple of years ago when Jorge was managing the wine program at Cercle Rouge in Tribeca, they used to serve Tue-Boeuf Brin de Chevre by the glass. It was a brave move - because beyond some wine geeks who really knows Menu Pineau. But it was an inspired move, at least I believe it was, because it matched perfectly with the goat cheese and onion tart they had on their menu as an appetizer. What a pairing it was: sweet onions, slightly tart goat cheese balanced beautifully with the slightly sweet and bright menu pineau (this was a couple of vintages ago when the Brin de Chevre had a touch of residual sugar).
I was buying some wine, back at the old stomping grounds of Chambers Street Wines, and I decided it was time for the Tue-Boeuf 2007 Touraine Le Brin de Chevre. My next thought was Goat Cheese and Onion Tart. Not many people opt to make onion tarts from scratch based on picking up a bottle of menu pineau from the Loire Valley - but maybe I am unique in that way.
The Tart
The tart turned out well - although not making pastry from scratch very often, I struggled a little with the dough. I used a recipe from Gourmet, September 1997 with some adjustments along the way. I made a smaller round pie (8 inch pie tin) and used less goat cheese than called for - not by choice, but based on what I had purchased. Still, the pastry was flaky, the onions really sweet, and the topping crisp and cheesy. And it was even better cold the next day.
The Wine
And the wine? Just what I wanted: dry, crisp, apples, citrus, floral, elegant and interesting. A brilliant pairing with the goat cheese and onion tart.
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