Grilled Red Pepper Pie with Fresh Goat Cheese, Tonka Bean and Bitter Dark Chocolate

Grilled Red Pepper Pie with Fresh Goat Cheese, Tonka Bean and Bitter Dark Chocolate

Here is a seasonal recipe that honors the last red peppers, which have reached full maturity, full of flavors and aromas. This recipe, as original as it is surprising, invites you to discover an unexpected taste harmony, where the caramelized sweetness of red pepper meets the delicate acidity of goat cheese, the warm, spicy and slightly vanilla notes of tonka bean, as well as the refined bitterness of dark chocolate.

A daring encounter between sweetness, freshness, spices and bitterness, where each ingredient reveals and sublimates the others.

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

The ingredients:

• 1 disk of pure butter short crust pastry, 8 to 10 inches in diameter*
• 6 good sized sweet Spanish Mammoth red pepper
• 6 to 7 oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• 3 oz crème fraiche
• 2 eggs
• 2 French shallots, finely chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh English thyme
• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tonka bean
• 2 oz bitter dark chocolate with 85–90% cocoa
• salt
• pepper

Recipe Preparation:

*If you are preparing your homemade short crust pastry, plan to make it at least an hour before starting the recipe. Then pre-bake it blind in the oven, then let it cool.

Wash the peppers thoroughly, then dry them well. Place them on the BBQ grill pre-heated to medium-high heat. Close the lid and let the peppers grill until their skins begin to blacken. Turn them over to toast them evenly on all sides. If you want to grill them in the oven, place them on a baking sheet in the middle of the oven at 450 F until the peppers have started to turn black. When the peppers are well grilled, place them in a container and cover them for 10 minutes. Then remove their skin, stem and all seeds. Cut them into wide strips, then place them on paper towels to drain them well.

In a non-stick pan, gently sauté the shallots and thyme in olive oil. When the shallots have become translucent, add the peppers and balsamic vinegar. Cook until the liquid has completely evaporated. Be careful, the peppers should be tender, but above all not soggy.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the fresh goat cheese and crème fraîche. Season with salt and pepper. Using a Microplane grater, grate a tiny amount of tonka bean, then fold it into the mixture.

In your pre-baked pie shell, spread the peppers and shallots evenly. Top with the goat cheese mixture, then bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set, but still slightly shaky in the center.

Let the pie rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then grate the dark chocolate very finely on its still warm surface.The chocolate should act as a bitter seasoning, not a chocolate slick.

* The Crust:

The dough takes just 10 minutes to make. Homemade pastry always tastes better so avoid buying it pre-made. Make it the day before.

• 2 1/4 cups (340 g) unbleached all-purpose flour (preferably organic)
• 1/4 tsp fine-grained salt (not Kosher salt)
• 3/4 cup (170 g) cold unsalted butter
• 6 Tablespoons (90 ml) ice water, approximately

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut the butter into the flour using two knives to get a grainy texture and the butter is the pea sized. Gradually add the water, lifting and turning the flour mixture using a spatula or your hand to prevent a portion from becoming inconsistently wet. Add water if needed, one spoonful at a time, just until the mixture holds when pressed between your fingers. Form into two discs. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. On a floured work surface or between two sheets of baking paper, roll out the dough to about ¾ inch thick. Your disk needs to be ½ inch bigger to the circumference of your Tarte Tatin pan or cast-iron pan.

The Wine:

White

The challenge is to find a white wine structured enough to accompany caramelized peppers and balsamic, without overpowering the lactic freshness of goat cheese.

Rootdown Wine, Savagnin 2023, Cole Ranch Vineyard, Mendocino County, Sonoma Coast, CA

A more lively and mineral approach. Its aromas of apple, citrus and white flowers, as well as its long mineral finish, create an interesting contrast with the sweetness of the peppers and the richness of the cheese.

Black Sheep Finds Holus Bolus Roussanne 2022, Santa Barbara, CA

I find this pairing particularly interesting because this wine is not simply fat or opulent. Its fresh character, texture and aromatic complexity allow it to accompany the many dimensions of the dish, if and only if the amount of chocolate is halved.

Red

Analemma Wines, Mencia 2022, Mosier Hills Estate Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, OR

Its floral, fruity and spicy notes could balance the balsamic sweetness while respecting the acidity of the goat cheese.

Ashes & Diamonds Vineyard, "Cabernet Franc No 10" 2023, Napa Valley, CA

A particularly interesting pairing by aromatic complementarity between the red pepper and the ripe vegetal character of the Cabernet Franc. The balsamic should remain discreet so as not to dominate the wine.