3/17/2012 Basket - Kale, Mushroom, and Cranberry Tart

Kale, Mushroom, and Cranberry Tart
Uses from this basket: Kale, green onion
Other produce: Mushroom, shallots, lemon

Crust:

• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold water

Cheese Layer:

• 2/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 3 ounces)
• 1/2 cup cream cheese (4 ounces), at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Filling:

• 1/2 pound bacon
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
  
• 3 green onions, rinsed and thinly sliced
• 1 large or 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• One 8-ounce bunch kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

For the crust: mix shortening, flour, and salt together with a fork or a pastry blender until very crumbly. Add as much water as needed to hold together, and mix lightly with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes then roll out to between 1/8" and 1/4" thick. Split between six 4-inch tart pans (you will probably have extra). Poke dough several times with fork and bake at 350 degrees until golden, about 15 minutes.

For the cheese layer: In a food processor, combine the blue cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, honey, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Blend until smooth.

For the filling: In a large skillet, cook the bacon until it begins to crisp. Set bacon aside. In the same pan, cook the mushrooms, green onion, shallot, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in the bacon grease. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Crumble the bacon and stir back in. Add the kale and cook until wilted, about 6 minutes. Add the broth and cranberries. Bring to a boil and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.

Using a spatula, spread the cheese layer evenly over the crust. Spoon the filling on top and serve.