Cherry Tomato And Caramelized Onion Bites

This recipe comes from one of my favorite food blogs Passionate About Baking.  and is a great way to use the beautiful cherry tomatoes over ripening in my kitchen counter!


Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

■ puff pastry

■2 red onions, sliced very fine {approx 150gm}

■1 tbsp butter

■1 tbsp olive oil

■150-200gm cherry tomatoes, halved

■ Few leaves of fresh basil chiffonade

■1 clove garlic, minced

■1 tsp white vinegar

■1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

■Sea salt

■Freshly ground pepper



Directions:

1.Roll out the pastry into a 10.5″ X 10.5″ square. With a pizza cutter/pastry wheel, trim the edges and cut into 2.5″ squares {8 small}

2.Score a tiny border about 1/4 cm along the inside edge, taking care not to cut right through. Place on parchment lined baking tray and chill for about 30 minutes, until the topping is ready.

3.Gently sauté the finely sliced onions in 1tsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil until golden brown and caramelised. Reserve in a bowl.

4.Toss the halved cherry tomatoes with the basil, garlic, 1 tbsp olive oil, vinegar, salt & pepper. Taste and adjust flavours. Set aside for a little while for the flavours to mature, about 10-15 minutes.

5.Preheat oven to 200C.

6.Take pastry out of fridge. Divide the caramelised onions between the bases, ensuring they stay within the scored edges.

7.Give the tomatoes a good stir, and top the onions with about 5-6 halves each, cut side up. Sprinkle with a little sea salt.

8.Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and puffy.

9.Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tomato Hand Pies

A great recipe to have on hand for your next picnic

Left in the baking tin and covered with cheesecloth, these tomato hand pies are ready to pack. They can be baked a day ahead and refrigerated. The pies will come to room temperature on the trip to the picnic site.

This recipe is part of the menu  An Elegant Picnic for a Concert In Central Park coming up in Lindaraxa


Makes 1 dozen

Serves 6

Ingredients


All-purpose flour, for surface

Pate Brisee

2 1/2 pounds medium tomatoes, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick crosswise

1 medium onion, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano, plus small sprigs for serving (optional)

1/3 cup chopped pitted oil-cured black olives

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup)

1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Directions

1.On a lightly floured surface, roll out pate brisee to 1/8 inch thick. Using a paring knife, cut out twelve 4 1/2-inch squares, and fit into cups of a standard muffin tin, leaving an overhang. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide tomato and onion slices between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast, switching positions of sheets halfway through, until tomatoes begin to shrivel and onion slices are golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool. Transfer to a bowl.

3.Divide half the chopped oregano, olives, and feta among the dough-lined tins. Top with tomato-onion mixture. Sprinkle remaining oregano, olives, and feta on top. Fold corners of dough toward centers. Brush with egg wash.

4.Reduce heat to 375. Bake pies until top crusts are golden brown and middles are bubbling, 50 to 60 minutes.

5.Let cool completely in tin on a wire rack. Tuck oregano sprigs into hand pies if desired.


Recipe Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Tex-Mex Pimiento Cheese Bake

Southern Living takes pimiento cheese spread to a new level by adding some heat and baking it in the oven.  The result is a marvelous hors d'oeuvre to enjoy in front of the fireplace while watching yet another football game. 

Hopefully you have shed some of the pounds you gained during the holidays, since January can be a tricky month, weight wise.  Between the snowstorms we have been having and the football games ahead I don't know what is worse.  So enjoy it while you can...next stop Valentine's Day!

Total: 35 minutes

Yield: Makes about 4 cups


Ingredients

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1/2 (12-oz.) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

1 (8-oz.) block extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 (8-oz.) block pepper Jack cheese, shredded

Garnish: fresh cilantro leaves

Serve with: French bread cubes

Preparation


1. Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in cheeses. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 2-qt. baking dish.

2. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until dip is golden and bubbly. Garnish, if desired. Serve with French bread cubes.

You can bake in two separate dishes, if desired.



Southern Living, JANUARY 2011

Kettle Chips with Parmesan Cheese

These are so easy to make and make wonderful hors d'oeuvres for a small dinner party.  You can prepare them ahead all the way to the frying of the herbs, turn the heat off,  and fry the chips right before you are ready to serve them.  They also go well with sandwiches and hamburgers.

Ingredients

6 large Yukon gold potatoes
Canola oil and olive oil, 75/25 ratio for frying
6 whole cloves garlic
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 bunch sage
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

Wash and clean the potatoes in cold running water. Using a mandoline, or vegetable peeler, finely slice the potatoes into chips. Drop the chips into a bowl of ice water as you work to prevent them from going brown. This will also remove any excess starch.

Set a large pot of 75/25 canola and olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic (paper and all) and whole stems of fresh rosemary, sage and thyme. Bring oil up to 375 degrees F. As it heats up the oil will get infused with the garlic and herbs. Once the herbs crackle and get crispy they will go clear and you know they are done. Using a strainer drain the herbs and garlic and set aside on paper towels.

Fry the potatoes in batches until golden and crispy. Drain the chips, dry well on paper towels and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with crispy fried herbs, garlic and shower with Parmesan.