When it comes to holiday dinners, my family has our "regular" dishes that we make year after year, and then we usually like to experiment with one or two new dishes each season. A few years ago I came across a few vegetable tian recipes. After a bit of researching and some recipe testing, this Sweet Potato and Shallot Tian became a fall/winter favourite. The tian is a beautiful, bright orange colour and looks especially elegant served on a holiday table in a beautiful earthenware dish.
Tian is french for a type of casserole served in an earthenware dish, that is also called a tian. Tian casseroles are usually made from vegetables and are layered and then gratinéed (or browned on top). For this fall/winter tian, I chose to layer sweet potatoes and shallots, as I loved the colours and sweetness of seasonal squash, however in the spring and summer, I have also added layers of parsnip, zucchini and eggplant, depending on what vegetables are fresh and seasonal at the time I make it.
I like to serve my tian in an oven to table oval-shaped, Le Creuset earthenware dish, however tian's also look elegant served in round serving dishes.
The key to a good tian is to use a mandoline to cut your vegetables into thin, even slices (you could also use a sharp knife if you do not have a mandoline). Even slices help the vegetables to cook evenly, and it also makes the dish look very professional!
I hope you give this Sweet Potato and Shallot Tian a try, it is a great addition to any holiday menu!
Happy Holidays,
Krista
Holiday Sweet Potato Tian
(adapted from here)
Ingredients
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced to 1/8" (try to buy sweet potatoes that are the same size diameter to help keep the pieces the same size)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 shallots
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Method
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Using a mandoline, slice sweet potatoes into pieces 1/8" thick. Place slices into bowl. Mix to lightly coat with vinegar (this is very important if using other vegetables, such as parsnips, as they oxidize). Peel and slice shallots into thin rings or slices and set aside. In a small microwave bowl, melt butter (30 seconds should be enough). Whisk in olive oil, then add rosemary and thyme. Pour 1 tablespoon of butter/oil mixture into the bottom of your oven safe tian serving dish. Then, in the same dish, stack the vegetable slices tightly, starting with the outer ring. You might need to use a small bowl to keep the slices upright and tighly packed while you work. After you have finished packing in the sweet potatoes, take individual shallot slices and insert in between sweep potato slices throughout the dish.
Pour remaining melted butter/oil mixture overtop of the slices and top with salt and pepper. Bake covered with foil for 40-50 minutes, until almost cooked, then remove foil and let the top of the tian brown (about 10 more minutes). Serve immediately.
