Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tart
It’s not right to take chances with your friends’ wellbeing…but sometimes you have no choice.
Yesterday a few of neighbors and I were lounging around in one of our backyards when we decided to have an impromptu cocktail party. Nothing major – some wine and a few simple dishes for the five of us. We would each bring a little snack for everyone to nibble on while we continued enjoying the lazy summer evening.
At first, I was excited. But when I got home I realized that my fridge was a bit light on ingredients. This was a problem since I was feeling especially lazy and unable to muster up the energy to make a trip to the market.
I knew what I had to do. It was time to play a round of Refrigerator Roulette. I would cross my fingers, hope for the best and make something out of whatever random ingredients were left in the fridge – which could be a dangerous game to play if you haven’t gone to the market in a while. And this was one of those days.
During a quick scan of the fridge and freezer I discovered some promising items: slab bacon (you can always find use for bacon), puff pastry and goat cheese. Along with some staples (i.e. butter, milk…), that was pretty much it. As a less accomplished cook, this required some thought on my end.
With the puff pastry leading the way in my head, I decided to make a quick tart.
I had also decided to call the bacon, goat cheese and onion into service. I was digging the flavor combo of the deep sweetness of the caramelized onions, the heartiness of the smoked bacon and the briny/creaminess of the goat cheese.
So, I hoped for the best and started cooking.
I was happy with the results. I loved the way this tart turned out – including the homemade, free form shape. And luckily, it was a hit with the group.
DISCLAIMER: This was an unplanned dish so there aren’t as many step-by-step photos as you would normally find in these pages. Sorry. And since I am far from being a recipe writer (I’m getting better), please feel free to pass on any suggestions that you have for improving the recipe (ingredients and/or instructions).
Oh yeah, one of the last times I played a round of Refrigerator Roulette I cooked this Cream of Leek & Parsnip Soup – which actually turned out really nice.
Bon Appetite!
CARAMELIZED ONION AND GOAT CHEESE TART
1/3 cup slab bacon, cut into strips
1 TBL butter
½ of Vidalia Onion, cut into strips
1 TBL sugar
¼ TSP thyme
2 TBL goat cheese
Dash of red pepper flakes
1 egg, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 400˚
Sauté bacon in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until bacon is cooked through and crisped, about 7 minutes.
Set bacon aside and disregard rendered fat (being careful to leave behind any solids stuck to the saucepan). Returning saucepan to stovetop, add the butter, onion, sugar and thyme. Stir to evenly coat onions with the sugar and butter. Stirring occasionally, cover and sauté onions until cooked through and caramelized, about 20 minutes.
Working on a lightly floured surface, roll out a 10”x5” sheet of puff pastry (most sheets of store bought puff pastries are folded into thirds. Each third is roughly 10”x5”). Using a sharp knife, carefully draw a ½” border around the edges of the puff pastry – being careful not to cut all of the way through the puff pasty.
Place the puff pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Remove puff pastry from refrigerator and spread caramelized onions within the pastry’s border. Dot the onion mixture with the bacon and goat cheese. Lightly brush the exposed edges of the puff pastry with the beaten egg.
Bake tart in the center of the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden.
Remove tart from the oven and sprinkle with a red pepper flake. Allow tart to cool. Garnish with fresh herbs. Serve.
Makes one 10”x”5 tart
This looks really good- I am not really a puff pastry fan, and have never tried the store-bought type, but it seems easy… where do you find it?
The topping would be great on homemade pizza too, I imagine.
Reg,
Very inventive. Have you tried aged goat cheese? I like it even better.
Winnie, Dufour puff pastry can be purchased at Zabars in Manhattan. It is made with butter, but it’s pricey. Supermarket brands are generally not made with butter. Try making your own. It freezes perfectly.
This looks absolutely delicious and beautiful pictures too! I’ve just discovered how yummy carmelized onion is and had recently made a tart from it.
WINNIE: I have always had good luck with Pepperidge Farm’s store bought puff pastry (it’s in the freezer section). But….
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PHYLLIS:…Phyllis is 100% correct, the word “butter” doesn’t even appear anywhere on the label. Yikes. But with the layers and layers of folding the butter, I’m not that advanced to make my own puff pastry. Phyllis, you rock.
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JO: Thanks. I agree with you. Rich with a beautiful sweetness – there aren’t many things that are better than caramelized onions.
This is such a fabulous creation. I love goat cheese and caramelized onions, perfect tart!
What a tasty looking tart!
I made three of these to take to a party yesterday. They were a big hit! I’m always looking for savory party food that doesn’t need to be served hot – these were perfectly crisp and delicious at room temperature. I made them exactly as specified except I added a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to the carmelized onions while they were cooking. Thanks for a great recipe!
JEN: Thanks. I really glad that you liked it.
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KEVIN: Thanks.
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AVACATAU: I’m happy it turned out so well. PS: I’m jealous that I didn’t think of the balsamic vinegar addition – that sounds absolutely amazing.
We made this for a girls’ dinner on Friday and it was fabulous! I used chive goat cheese and added a little parmesan (because we are cheese addicts). We couldn’t stop talking about how good it was and how wonderful it made the house smell! Also, the leftovers are really good at 2:30 am…
LIZ: I have to say, I really like the ideas that you and Avacatau have brought to the table. I bet the chive goat cheese was a fabulous addition. And I’m glad that it turned out so well…even for the late night munchies.