Tomato, Blue Cheese, and Caramelized Onion Pizzas
This recipe was inspired by the pizza creation of my friend, Julie Lee, who is a master of the appetizer table. The herb, nut, and cheese combinations for these “pizzas” are endless. Basil, almonds, and goat cheese would be delicious, as would cilantro, pistachios, and queso blanco. I serve these to my children, who inhale them. I put the blue cheese and nuts on the side and let the children decide if they want to load up on the goods or not. These pizzas are also a thoughtful touch on the appetizer table for friends and family avoiding gluten.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large or 2 medium, onion(s), peeled and thinly sliced, Walla Walla or Hermiston Sweets
3-4 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced ½ inch thick
½ cup crumbled, blue cheese such as Rogue River Blue
1/3 cup chopped, roasted pecans*
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence or 2 tablespoons of a variety of chopped, fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, oregano and a pinch of rosemary
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter
1 large or 2 medium, onion(s), peeled and thinly sliced, Walla Walla or Hermiston Sweets
3-4 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced ½ inch thick
½ cup crumbled, blue cheese such as Rogue River Blue
1/3 cup chopped, roasted pecans*
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence or 2 tablespoons of a variety of chopped, fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, oregano and a pinch of rosemary
Salt & pepper to taste
Heat/melt your olive oil and butter in a large, skillet over medium heat. Add your onions to your heated fat, stir them around to coat them in the mixture and then, turn your heat down to low. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Don’t be frugal with your onions. Trust me. It’s better to have more than you can ever imagine because they will cook down. Way down. Keep your heat on med-low to low and stir the onions from time to time. After about 20 minutes they will become translucent and take on an amber color. Take care not to let them brown too quickly or burn which will give them a bitter taste.
To assemble your pizzas, put a forkful of your caramelized onions onto each tomato slice. Next, sprinkle the blue cheese over the onions, then the pecans, and finally the herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Serve them up to your friends and watch them swoon.
*To roast your pecans, spread them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Roast for 10 minutes, stirring halfway, at 350ºF.
To assemble your pizzas, put a forkful of your caramelized onions onto each tomato slice. Next, sprinkle the blue cheese over the onions, then the pecans, and finally the herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Serve them up to your friends and watch them swoon.
*To roast your pecans, spread them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Roast for 10 minutes, stirring halfway, at 350ºF.
YIELD: About 12 pizzas
When we lived in SD, we lived on an old farmstead. We didnt have garbage service, so everything but cans and plastic and glass got burned at night in a 50gal oil drum.
The oil drum was strategically located far away enough from the house to clear the smoke, and far away from the grove so sparks wouldnt catch a limb.
Put another way – equidistant between safety and terror.
Many nights, I would be standing there as the garbage burned (couldnt leave a garbage fire burning) and listened to the murderers creeping up on me and calculating the sprinting distance to the front porch.
The tension would build and build because, obviously, the fire would burn down, as light became more faint, murderers creep closer. Then as the last flame flickered out – a starting gun of sorts.
I would sprint as fast as I could, knowing that I could outrun any murderer, especially when they wouldn't know WHEN I would make my break. I had the element of surprise on my side.
I still feel the murderers stare on the back of my neck when I am staring at a campfire…
Carrie, that was scary! If I read a particularly creepy gothic novel and everyone's asleep, I leave the lamp on and glue myself to my husband. Otherwise I'm too freaked out to fall asleep.
By the way, added you to my blogroll on my main blog too. Hope you don't mind.
Joe-I'm truly at a loss for words. South Dakota? I never knew. Glad to know I'm not alone in the "freaked out by the dark" category.
Angie-You are too kind. Thank you for adding me to your blogroll.
Everything takes on a scary edge at night. I would have done exactly what you did and hoped no one saw me. It is the middle of the night and I'm listening to Elise breathe, and of course she sounds more frightening now that the world is dark and asleep. Reading your latest blogs lightened my night. I'll be up for awhile listening, any chance you will post another wonderful piece?!
Your Pizza a la Julie is fabulous. I know, I got to have some.
Pops