The Root Restaurant & Bar in White Lake Township has always been vegan friendly, offering daily specials and tastings for diners who prefer a plant-based diet.

This month, Executive Chef Nick Rodgers will prepare a six- course feast with no meat or dairy, spotlighting the fresh produce of Ann Arbor by farmer Tomm Becker and Sunseed Farms.

The Summer Vegan Feast menu at the restaurant, 340 Town Center Blvd., will feature beet and berries with red quinoa, grilled radish salad, cedar-planked seasonal vegetables, cream of celery soup and cauliflower steak with pickled hot peppers. Dinner begins at 7 p.m. and costs $60 per person, with beverage pairings available at $25. Tax and gratuity extra.

To reserve a place at the table, call 248-698-2400.

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The Root prides itself on handmade chef-driven cuisine committed to seasonal, local and sustainable sourcing. For more information, visit therootrestaurant.com or follow on Facebook.

Meanwhile, home cooks who want to try making a delicious vegan dish can begin with this Vegan Whole Wheat Tomato Tart from Chef Nick.

Start to finish: 2 hours

Serves: 4-8

INGREDIENTS

1 cup garlic cloves, peeled

2 cups vegetable oil

3 onions, julienned

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped

1/4, plus 1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon sea salt

4 medium heirloom tomatoes

2 tablespoons of fresh thyme, chopped

2 lemons, zested

Salt and pepper to taste

STEPS

To make garlic confit, heat oven to 275 F. Place peeled garlic cloves in a deep pan. Cover with vegetable oil to about 2 inches above the garlic. Roast for about 2 hours until cloves are medium brown. Strain oil and let cool for about a minute. Crush garlic with a fork to finish the confit. Set aside.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of garlic confit and let simmer, about 2 minutes. Add the onion slices and stir to coat the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Stir every 3 minutes, until dark golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make the tart shell, heat oven to 325 F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, fresh chopped oregano, 1/4 cup of olive oil, water and sea salt in a large bowl. Mix until combined and dough is evenly moistened, about 2 minutes. Remove from mixing bowl and pat dough across the bottom of the pie pan and up the sides.

Cover dough with a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, pressing the foil into fluted edges of the dough. Fill the foil-lined crust with a pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Make sure the weight covers the entire bottom of the crust. Place in oven and bake until dry, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for about 30 minutes.

Reduce oven to 275 F. Spread caramelized onions around the bottom of the tart. Core and slice tomatoes 1/4-inch thick. Lay tomatoes in a ring pattern around the tart, overlapping each tomato by half. Season with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper.

In a small pan, mix 1 cup of garlic confit, thyme, lemon zest, remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread mixture evenly on top of tomatoes. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are softened. Let cool. Cut into 8 slices and serve.

Original post:

Try vegan tomato tart at home, Root's Vegan Feast on July 13 - The Morning Sun