Welsh Onion Cake With Thyme Food

WELSH ONION CAKE

Steps:

• Heat about a quarter of the butter in a large pan, set over a medium heat. Sweat the onions with a little salt and the rosemary sprig. Slowly cook on a gentle heat with a lid on for about 20 mins. Remove rosemary and set aside.
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Peel the potatoes and immediately cut into wafer-thin slices directly into a bowl containing the rest of the warm butter. Season with salt and pepper. The thinner the potatoes, the better the dish will be. Do not wash them once they are sliced, as you want all of the starch to stick the potatoes together.
• Line an ovenproof, non-stick frying pan with a round of baking parchment. Layer potatoes neatly into the dish in a circle, slightly overlapping. The bottom of the pan will become the presentation side. Continue to pile in half of the potatoes, then add the melted onions. On top of the onions continue with the potatoes until all used up. Set the pan over a medium heat and gently begin to colour the bottom of the dish for 5 mins, then transfer to the oven and cook for 45-50 mins until the potatoes are soft.
• Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 mins. Invert onto a serving plate, then slice into wedges with a very sharp knife.

WELSH ONION CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Heat about 1/4 of the butter in a large pan, set over medium heat.
• 2. Sweat the onions with a little salt and the rosemary sprig. Slowly cook on a gentle heat with a lid on for about 20 minutes. Remove rosemary and set aside.
• 3. Grease an oven proof dish and on the bottom of the dish, place a thick layer of potatoes, well seasoned with salt and pepper.
• 4. Add a layer of onions.
• 5. Dot each layer with butter and thyme (if using), and repeat this again, or until the dish is full, ending with a layer of potatoes.
• 6. The top layer should also be dotted with butter, using more than given above, if necessary. Cover with a lid or foil and bake in a moderate oven (350F.) for about one and a half hours, removing the lid for the last half hour.
• 7. Note: The variety of potato makes it difficult to give a precise cooking time: very floury ones can cook in 1 hour where as waxy ones will take longer. If using the cheese, sprinkle a little bit on each layer.

WELSH ONION CAKE WITH THYME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C degrees.
• Peel the potatoes and then slice them wafer thin (best done in a food processor).
• Rinse the potatoes and shake dry.
• Peel and halve the onions.
• Slice the onions as thin as you can but don't separate the slices.
• Use a quarter of the butter to grease a cake tin or gratin-style dish.
• Make layers with potato, salt and pepper, thyme and then onion.
• Repeat until all the ingredients are gone, cutting pieces of butter to go between the layers.
• Make sure to leave some butter for the final layer.
• Cover the top of the dish with foil and cook for 45 minutes.
• Remove the foil and cook for a further 30 minutes or until the top is golden and the potatoes are tender all the way through.

FRENCH ONION TART WITH CHEESY THYME PASTRY

Steps:

• Put the flour in the bowl of a food processor with the 100g butter. Blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then add 50g of the cheese, 1 tbsp of the thyme leaves, some freshly ground black pepper and 1 tsp salt. Blitz again briefly to combine. Add 2-3 tbsp cold water, and pulse again until it comes together into a dough. If you don't have a food processor, do this in a bowl - rub the flour into the butter first, then stir in the remaining ingredients with a knife. Wrap and chill for at least 40 mins.
• Meanwhile, heat the 25g butter and the olive oil in a large frying pan over a low-medium heat, and cook the onions with a pinch of salt for 40-50 mins, stirring often, until sticky, golden and very soft when pressed with the back of a spoon. If they start to catch, reduce the heat further and add a splash of water. Be patient, as they will take a while to caramelise, but keep your eye on the pan so they don't burn.
• Stir in the vinegar, sugar and the anchovies. Keep stirring until the vinegar has evaporated, and the anchovies have dissolved into the onions. Remove from the heat.
• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and roll the pastry out onto a lightly floured work surface to a 3mm thickness. Use the pastry to line a 23cm tart tin (use the rolling pin to help you do this). Trim the edges so they're just overhanging the sides. Patch the pastry with the offcuts, if needed. Scrunch up a sheet of baking parchment, then open it out again to line the pastry, and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins, remove the parchment and beans, then bake for a further 5-8 mins, or until the pastry looks dry, without any raw spots.
• Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, cream, remaining thyme and the rest of the cheese together with a pinch each of salt and black pepper. Stir in the caramelised onions. Trim the sides of the pastry using a serrated knife to neaten the edges. Pour the filling into the pastry case and tap the tin gently on the work surface to release any bubbles.
• Bake the quiche for 25-30 mins on the middle shelf of the oven until lightly golden and set in the middle, with a slight wobble. Leave to cool in the tin for at least 15-20 mins, then slice. To make the salad, whisk the olive oil and vinegar together in a bowl, then toss in the remaining ingredients. Pile the salad on top of the quiche, or serve alongside. If you like, leave the quiche to cool completely, then chill before serving. Will keep in the fridge for up to three days.

WELSH ONION CAKE WITH CAERPHILLY

Steps:

• In a large pan, heat a knob of the butter with a drizzle of oil. Once the butter is foaming, add the onions, leek and some seasoning and cook for 15 mins until the onions are soft and sticky, stirring occasionally. Butter a 22cm cake tin or baking dish (alternatively, you can assemble the cake in the pan you're already using if it's ovenproof).
• In a separate pan, melt the remaining butter. Toss the sliced potatoes with the melted butter and plenty of seasoning. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Arrange the potato slices over the base of the dish in a spiral or in concentric circles. Top with some of the onion mix, sprinkle over a layer of cheese and continue layering, finishing with a final round of potato slices. Press down firmly with your hands to compact the layers. Bake for 45-50 mins until the potatoes are golden brown and tender; cover with foil if the cake starts to take on too much colour. Turn out onto a plate to serve.

WELSH ONION CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Grease a 7 inch souffle dish and place a layer of potatoes on the bottom and then a layer of onions, dot with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Repeat the layers, finishing off with potatoes. Brush with butter and bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
• Serve hot.