Balsamic Onion Tartlets Food

BRIE-LEEK TARTLETS

Steps:

• In a small skillet, saute leek in butter until tender. Add the garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes., Place tart shells on a baking sheet. Slice cheese into 15 pieces; place 1 piece in each tart shell. Top each with 1-1/2 teaspoons leek mixture. , Bake at 350° until heated through, 6-8 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with parsley. Refrigerate leftovers.

CARAMELISED BALSAMIC AND RED ONION TARTS WITH GOATS' CHEESE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C).
• You will also need eight 3½ inch (9 cm) diameter x 1 inch (2.5 cm) high mini flan tins, greased, and a 5 inch (13 cm) pastry cutter or plate to cut around.
• First make up the pastry by rubbing the butter lightly on to the flour, then adding the cheese, mustard and cayenne plus just enough cold water to make a smooth dough. Then place the dough in a polythene bag to rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. After that, roll it out as thinly as possible and use a 5 inch (13 cm) cutter, or a saucer or something similar, to stamp out 8 rounds. Line the greased tins with them, then bake in the oven, centre shelf, for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through but not coloured. Then cool the pastry cases on a wire rack and store them in an airtight tin until they are needed.
• To make the filling, melt the butter in a heavy-based, medium-sized saucepan, stir in the onions, balsamic vinegar and chopped sage, season and let everything cook very gently without a lid, stirring often, for about 30 minutes until they have reduced down and taken on a lovely glazed appearance and all the excess liquid has evaporated away. Then let the mixture cool until you are ready to make the tarts.
• To bake them, brush a little beaten egg on to each pastry case, pop them back into the oven, same temperature as above, for 5 minutes - this helps to provide a seal for the pastry and helps it from becoming soggy. Now spoon the onion mixture into the cases. Top each one with a slice of goats' cheese and a sage leaf that has first been dipped into olive oil. Finally sprinkle with a little cayenne and bake for 20 minutes.

BALSAMIC ONION, MUSHROOM & BLUE CHEESE TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Put a pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter.
• Once the butter starts to froth, put the thinly sliced red onions in and turn the heat down to low.
• Cook, stirring often, until the onions have become translucent. This will take about 10 minutes but keep an eye on them.
• Add the sugar and the balsamic vinegar to the onions and cook on low, stirring often for about 10 minutes until the onion mixture is sticky and the liquid thickened up.
• Set the onions aside to cool.
• Melt the remaining butter in another pan and cook the mushrooms for a few minutes until they have just started to change color.
• Set the mushrooms aside to cool.
• Whilst the onions and mushrooms are cooling, layout your pie dough. You want the dough to be about as thick as a pinkie. If your pre-rolled dough is thicker roll it out to the desired thickness.
• Using a round cookie cutter or a glass, cut out 12 rounds of the dough.
• Press each round of dough into a hole of a 12 yield muffin tin. If your pan usually sticks, spray each hole with cooking spray before hand.
• Next, put the egg and sour cream into a bowl with the salt and pepper and beat together.
• Stir through the dried parsley and crumbled blue cheese. Set aside.
• Spoon a bit of the balsamic onions into the base of each tart.
• Top the onions with the mushrooms, trying to cover as much of the surface as possible.
• Spoon the blue cheese mixture over the top of each tart.
• Put tarts in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes until the pastry has gone golden and the cheese mixture has set.
• Take out of the oven and allow to cool before serving so the cheese mixture can firm up a little bit.

BALSAMIC ONION SAUCE

Steps:

• Put the vinegar, oil, onions and some salt and pepper in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and soupy, about 15 minutes.
• Stir in the chile powder and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute. Add the ketchup, 1/2 cup water, the hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature before serving.

BALSAMIC ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Cut the onions in half and slice 1/4 inch thick. Place on a baking sheet and toss with 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the onions are tender. Remove from the oven, toss with 2 more tablespoons balsamic vinegar.

BALSAMIC ONION TARTLETS

Steps:

• Under medium to low heat, place olive oil and onions in a skillet and cook for 3 or 4 minutes so that onions begin to soften but not brown.
• Add 1/3 cup of chicken broth to the onions and continue to cook until the liquid evaporates. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add thyme and another 1/3 cup of broth, and cook until the liquid evaporates.
• Add the balsamic vinegar and the remaining broth, cooking until liquid evaporates. The final simmer takes about 12-15 minutes.
• The results will be soft and tender onions with a tart sauce that is slightly syrupy but not at all loose.
• To fill the Phyllo cups you can either use a pastry bag with a star tip or a teaspoon. If you are using cream cheese, allow it to soften a bit and mix with a tablesoon of milk.) Place a small amount of the yogurt or cream cheese in the shell filling about 1/3 to 1/2 way to the top. Top each with a spoonful of the onions.
• Bake the tartlets in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
• To garnish, you can pipe little rosettes of yogurt or cream cheese on top and sprinkle with a few fresh thyme leaves.

RED ONION, FETA & OLIVE TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then gently fry the onions for about 10 mins until golden and soft. Add the sugar and balsamic vinegar, then cook for a further 5 mins until the juices are reduced and syrupy. Leave to cool.
• Unroll the puff pastry onto a baking tray. Score a line a finger-width in from the edge all the way around, then cover the middle with the onion mix. Scatter the feta and olives over. Season and drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the topping.
• Bake for 15 mins or until the pastry is risen and golden and the base is crisp. Cut into wedges and serve with a green salad.