Rustic Onion Tart

Without a doubt, one of my top appetizer recipes is Claire Robinson's Brie and Onion Puff. If you are having a dinner party and I'm asked to bring an app, chances are high that's the one I'll choose, main;y because of the savory caramelized onion layer. It smells like Thanksgiving stuffing when you're browning the onions and it's complex sweetness makes any dish special.

So it's not much of a surprise that I recently created this onion tart recipe to feature these onions for a recent wine tasting Boyfriend and I hosted. (More on that later!)

Simple, elegant and just a little country flair, rustic onions tart may be my next go-to appetizer!

Ingredients:

1 refrigerated pie crust
2 T olive oil
2 T butter, salted
5 lbs sweet onions, sliced thinly on mandoline
2 garlic cloves
10 sprigs thyme, stems removed
Kosher salt
Black pepper

~4 Swiss cheese slices 

Directions:

Flour a work surface and unroll the pie crust onto a parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the pie crust until it nearly doubles its size, and the crust is about 1/8 inch thin.

To a hot pan, add the olive oil and butter (the combination is less likely to burn). Once the butter and olive oil are melted, add the garlic and then quickly add the onions.

Stirring every so often, watch the onions turn a dark caramel color, which can take anywhere from 10-20 minutes, depending on how hot your pan is. If your pan is getting dry and your onions have a ways to go, add some water or stock, about 4 T at a time.

When the onions are soft and caramelized (they should have shrunk in size significantly), add the salt, pepper and thyme and continue to cook for about 2 minutes. Let cool.

Back to your crust (laid out on the  parchment paper), add about 4 slices of good quality Swiss cheese to the center of the crust- in about an 8 inch circle. This will be the bottom of your tart, so make sure your crust isn't too thin here.

Add the cool onion mixture to the top of the cheese and then fold the crust over on top of itself in 4 inch sections until you end where you began. It should be fairly even, but shouldn't be perfect.

Sprinkle with Swiss cheese, and brush crust with a beaten egg, if you are feeling fancypants.

Bake for ~20 minutes at 350, ensuring the crust is cooked.

If you like, finish with additional thyme and a sprinkle of sea salt. Pair with an Oregon pinot and you're in business!

How to throw a Wine Party at Home

Want to throw an awesome wine party at your house? Boyfriend and I had a last-minute change in plans a few weeks ago when the wine festival we were supposed to attend with friends was canceled due to rain. We made do, and relocated to my house. We asked each couple to bring at least two wines- one red, and one white. All of us had varied knowledge of wines, so it was fun.

A friend told us doing themed wine parties is more fun--for instance Oregon Pinots, 2007 Cabernets, only New Jersey wines. Next time, I'd put a  theme around it.

Of course, wine parties call for a few staples: classy minibites to complement the taste of the wines, and bland crackers or bread to cleanse your palate in between wines.

Find my tips and menu below!

My menu:
-Mini crabcakes with roasted red pepper aioli 
-Rustic onion tart
-Baked ricotta and tomato puff pastry flatbread

Wine Tasting 101

Wine Party Scoring Cards

Mussels in an Herbed White Wine Sauce - Restaurant Worthy!

I co-hosted a dinner party a while back for our closest friends- most of us who have been together since college! We decided to make it super classy-- simple, decadent dishes and a wine pairing with each course. I was tasked with the appetizers and side dishes (he did the hard work - stuffed crown roast!). We wanted to push the envelope bit for our friends who much prefer mini hot dogs over escargot. :) I decided to make classic mussels in an herbed white wine sauce.

It turned out to be the best idea! I'm not kidding, this is better than dishes I've had in restaurants. Having never worked with mussels before, I did hours of research into cleaning, preparation and recipes and came up with the below recipe- an Elaine original! I hope you enjoy; this really is a fun, cheap and delicious alternative to standard dinner party fare.Even those initially wary loved it. Experiment!

 Ingredients

6 pounds fresh mussels (I used Prince Edward Island [P.E.I.] Mussels), scrubbed and beards removed
4 T olive oil
4 T butter (go ahead, use the whole stick if you want.)
8 shallots, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, minced
32 oz. chicken stock
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups heavy cream 
8 T fresh herbs (I used an herb paste, but would recommend basil, parsley, thyme, maybe even a but of oregano or rosemary)
Good quality crusty bread, warmed right before serving
 
Directions  

Scrub and debeard (remove a thin hairlike strand) mussels. Throw away any that are opened. If mussels are slightly opened, tap on their shell. Good mussels should close; toss those that stay open. 

Preheat a very large pot (fair disclosure, I underestimated how large a pot I would need!) over high heat. Once pot is heated, add the butter and olive oil. Warm until butter melts.

Into the melted butter, add the shallots, with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until shallots are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute or just slightly longer.


Add wine, chicken stock and the mussels into the pot. Cover with a lid and steam until all mussels open, about 12 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open. 

Remove the mussels with a slotted spoon and place into a large serving bowl. (Remember to set an extra bowl on the table for the shells.) To the remaining liquid, add the cream and herbs (or herb paste) and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Once you have a great-tasting broth, pour over the mussels in the bow.

Serve with warm, crusty bread and soak in the complements.

Barbeque Chicken and Bacon Stromboli

Thursday nights are date nights. They have been since 2009 when Boyfriend and I started dating. Thursdays are synonymous with wine, relaxation, weekend planning and not so healthy food. A few weeks ago I decided to try a stromboli at home (here's the recipe) that was savory and easy. The below did the trick!

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced ( I used rotisserie chicken)
1 ½ cups BBQ sauce
4 slices smoked bacon, cooked crispy, drained and chopped
1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
½ cup chopped green onions
1 can Pillsbury Pizza dough (not thin crust)
Olive oil cooking oil spray

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a baking pan with non-stick foil. Lightly spray the foil with the cooking oil spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl mix the diced chicken and BBQ sauce.

Take the pizza dough out of the can and unroll it on your prepared baking sheet.

Press the dough into a rectangle… do not make the dough too thin.

Put the BBQ chicken down the center of the dough from one sort end to the other.

Sprinkle the chopped bacon over the chicken, then sprinkle the cheddar cheese, then sprinkle the chopped green onion over the top.

Carefully pull the sides of the dough from the long side to the middle. (Don't break it like I did.) Pinch the dough closed.

Sprinkle the top with garlic powder and bake for 16 minutes or until light golden brown.

Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before cutting. (You can dip in more bbq sauce if you like!)