Flatbread With Oven Dried Figs Caramelized Onions And Blue Cheese Food

FLATBREAD WITH FRESH FIGS, MONTEREY JACK, BLUE CHEESE AND RED WINE REDUCED VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• For the vinaigrette: Combine the wine, fennel seeds, peppercorns and thyme in a wide shallow saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup. Strain the mixture into a blender and discard the solids.
• Add the vinegar and salt to taste and blend to combine. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil until emulsified; add the honey to taste.
• For the dough: Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a large bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups flour and the salt, stirring until smooth. Stir in an additional 2 cups flour. Continue adding the flour (up to 1/2 cup), 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until the dough comes away from the bowl but is still sticky.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead with lightly floured hands. Start by slapping the dough onto the counter, pulling it toward you with one hand and pushing it away from you with the other. Fold the dough back over itself (use a bench scraper or a wide knife to help scrape the dough from the surface). Repeat until it's easier to handle, about 10 times. Finish kneading normally until the dough is smooth, elastic and soft, but a little tacky, about 10 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl; turn to coat. Cover with plastic and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume, 3 hours. Press it with your finger to see if it's done; an indent should remain.
• Prepare the charcoal in a chimney starter (allowing the charcoal to burn until all the charcoal is covered with a thin layer of gray ash). Add to the grill and create a two-level fire by spreading the coals out over half the grill bottom, piling them up in a mound 3 briquettes high, leaving the other half with no coals.
• Remove the dough from the bowl, divide in half and shape each half into a ball. Brush with oil and set aside for 30 minutes.
• Stretch and shape each ball of dough into a 12 by 10-inch rectangle or round on a flat surface. Brush the tops of each with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let rest for 15 minutes. Place on the grill directly over the coals, oiled side down, and grill until lightly golden brown, about 1 minute. Flip over and grill for 1 minute longer.
• Place the flatbreads on a flat surface and divide the Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the top. Arrange the cut figs on top and the blue cheese around the figs. Return to the grill on the opposite side of the coals, for indirect heat, close the cover and cook until the cheese has melted and the figs are heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill and drizzle with some of the red wine vinaigrette and garnish with parsley leaves. Cut and serve immediately.

CARAMELIZED ONIONS, CABRALES BLUE CHEESE AND WILD MUSHROOM FLATBREAD

Steps:

• Heat butter and olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add onions and sugar and cook slowly until soft and caramelized. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until golden brown and cooked down. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Preheat grill. Flatten the dough, brush liberally with olive oil and throw on the grill. Grill on one side until golden brown, turn over spread with the mozzarella, onions and mushrooms and blue cheese.

FIG , CARAMELIZED ONION AND BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Soak figs in hot/boiling water for 1/2 hr.to soften. Set aside.
• Lightly coat baking tray with olive oil.
• Spread pastry on baking tray, join edges and pierce with fork to allow air to escape during baking.
• Bake until light brown (approx. 5-7 min.).
• Cook onions in butter and olive oil over medium heat until soft caramelized.
• Add brown sugar, salt and pepper, thyme and cook over low heat for 5 minute.
• Add drizzle of balsamic vinegar in last 2 minutes.
• Pour onion mixture over pastry covering to edges.
• Add figs (cut into small chunks).
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake at 400F fro 10-12 minutes.
• Cool before cutting.
• Cut into appetizer size pieces.

FLATBREAD WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS & CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oil over medium high heat in a large skillet.
• Add onions; cook until wilted& starting to brown.
• Add sugar, vinegar, salt& pepper.
• Reduce heat& cook gently for 15- 25 minutes or until onions are caramelized& brown.
• Cool.
• Roll pastry into a rectangle approximately 12 x 16 inches. I don't use the sheets of puff pastry - I prefer to use the 375gm package of Tenderflake Puff Pastry. I start rolling it out on my counter, then I transfer it to my baking tray (which has been lined with parchment paper) and roll the pastry to fit the tray. Since puff pastry is very "forgiving", you can "cut & paste" if necessary.
• Spread onions over pastry.
• Dot with cheese& sprinkle with chervil.
• If you are preparing this for a party, you can prepare to this point and refrigerate- then bake later.
• Bake in preheated 400F oven for 20- 25 minutes or until cheese has melted& pastry is crisp.
• When removed from the oven, it will be puffed right up but allow it to cool for 5 minutes & it will fall back down. Cut into 20 serving pieces - this is easier done with kitchen scissors instead of a knife - then cut each piece in half diagonally.

PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, FIGS, BACON AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• At least 45 minutes before cooking, preheat the oven and pizza stone to 550 degrees.
• Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the onions, thyme and bay leaves. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onions begin to wilt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and turn a deep, golden brown, about 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves and transfer the onions to a small bowl.
• Place the bacon in the pan and set over high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a small bowl.
• Place the pizza dough on a heavily floured surface and stretch and pull, using your hands or a rolling pin, into about a 14-inch round. Place on a lightly floured pizza peel or rimless baking sheet. Cover with the toppings, careful not to press on the dough and weigh it down: the caramelized onions first, then the figs and bacon, and finally the Gorgonzola, leaving roughly a 1/2 inch border. Shake the pizza peel slightly to make sure the dough is not sticking. Carefully slide the pizza directly onto the baking stone in one quick, forward-and-back motion. Cook until the crust has browned on the bottom and the top is bubbling and browning in spots, about 7 minutes. Drizzle with a little olive oil and some cracked black pepper. Serve hot. Makes 1 pizza.

FLATBREAD WITH OVEN-DRIED FIGS, CARAMELIZED ONIONS, AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1⁄2 cup flour and yeast in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add 1⁄2 cup warm water; let stand 30 minutes. Add 2 cups flour, remaining 1⁄2 cup water, 1 tablespoon oil, rosemary, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes), and add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky). Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into dough. If an indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) While dough rises, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sugar; cook 15 minutes or until deep golden brown, stirring mixture occasionally. Add remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon of salt, orange rind, and pepper. Cool mixture slightly. Preheat oven to 425°. Punch dough down; form into a ball. Place dough on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; let rest 5 minutes. Roll dough into a 14 x 12-inch rectangle (about 1⁄4 inch thick). Arrange onion mixture, walnuts, and Oven-Dried Fig halves evenly over dough, leaving a 1⁄2 inch border on all sides. Sprinkle with cheese, and gently press toppings into dough to adhere. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until flatbread is golden brown and cheese melts. ** To make Oven-Dried Figs, arrange figs in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 250 deg for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until almost dry but still soft.