French Friday with Dorie: Roasted Rhubarb and Tourteau de Chèvre

I have to confess that I really wasn't sure I was going to make this week's roasted rhubarb recipe, not because I don't like rhubarb, but because...well, it just didn't seem challenging enough, and, well not very French at all.

So I decided to make it more of a challenge by making the Tourteau de Chèvre as well and serving the roasted rhubarb as a topping. I was gone last month when the tourteau came up on the schedule and it was a recipe that I really wanted to try.

First, let's talk about the rhubarb. It couldn't have been simpler to make and it also couldn't have been tastier. I cut my rhubarb a little shorter than the inch and a half that Dorie suggested and since I didn't have oranges on hand and only one lemon I used the zest of the lemon and mixed it with the sugar and rhubarb before roasting. Even though Dorie also suggests using some honey if it isn't sweet enough after roasting, I didn't need the honey at all. The roasted rhubarb tasted delicious just with the sugar and lemon zest. The tang of the lemon mixed with the sweetness of the sugar was perfect.

Now, for the tourteau. I made the sweet tart dough and pressed it into an 8-inch springform pan. Egg whites that have been whipped to stiff peaks are gently folded into the goat cheese mixture to make a super light filling. When I topped my slice of tourteau with the roasted rhubarb, it was a perfect balance because the tourteau is not sweet at all. You get a little sweetness from the crust, but it is a subtle sweet. With the rhubarb it was just a perfect combination. John had his pieces-yes, pieces-plain and thought this was a really good cheesecake.

I am so glad that I made both of these recipes and will be making them again and again because they are both delicious. I can't wait to visit the other members of the group to see what they paired the roasted rhubarb with. I hope you will do the same by clicking on their links over at French Fridays with Dorie.