Caramelized onion and feta tartlets drizzled with honey, and a tip for making them for a last minute appetizer!
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This was my toughest assignment yet with the Secret Recipe Club. OK, except for that little mixup I had on my first post with this fabulous group. Not because I couldn't find anything to make on my newly assigned blog, Karen's Kitchen Stories. To the contrary - I'll be trying recipes on her delicious blog for the next few months. The problem, as many of you know, is we're in the middle of a kitchen remodel.
Kitchen Remodel Nightmare
I thought we'd have the range installed by now, and for one brief shining moment we almost did. But when we uncrated it, it was the wrong stove. So we spent the next hour (unsuccessfully) trying to squeeze all the foam and cardboard packing paraphernalia back into the crate with the stove.
Now we wait a little less patiently for the correct stove -- you know, the one we originally pointed to in the showroom to the salesman -- to be delivered. Until then, I'm working skillets on the gas grill out back to whip up dinners that have become less amazing with each passing week. The sense of adventure I initially felt is gone.
A couple of nights ago, I cooked dinner in the pouring rain wearing a large black rain hat -- which I suddenly realized resembles a witch's hat that I will never wear again. One hand worked the skillet on the grill, the other held the grill lid part-way down to keep slanting rain off the food. It worked out fine, but I was a bit of a mess by the end.
If you're still with me, my point is, my cooking and baking support systems are a bit lean right now. And this is why this was a tough assignment for me this month.
Karen rocks bread baking
If you want to expand your bread baking skills, I urge you to visit her blog. Karen at Karen's Kitchen Stories is a master baker - and particularly with breads. But don't stop at the breads, go look at her cakes, cookies. and tarts too.
I'll be back with more of her recipes over the next couple of months, starting with her Basic Sourdough Bread. I have a sourdough starter I've been feeding for the last couple of months as a birthday gift for our stepdaughter, Robin, and always have spare starter now.
Then I'm moving onto Karen's Apple Kuchen, Assyrian Spinach Pies, Carrot Bread, and Jalapeño Cheese Bread with Corn. For a non bread-y recipe, I want to make her Mexican Breakfast Casserole. And I must warn you, her photography is lovely, guaranteed to make you hungry.
I chose to make her feta and honey tartlets, a perfect appetizer for any party
Go check out her blog and come back here to see what I chose to make today: Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese and Balsamic Tartlets. Full disclosure: I made a couple of changes - I had some favorite sheep's feta on hand that I used in place of the goat cheese. It was delicious with the feta, but I'm sure the goat cheese would be great too. And I switched honey in for the balsamic syrup - it was too tricky to make that syrup on the grill. These little tartlets were amazing, and don't forget the fresh thyme. It makes a surprisingly huge difference. Huge.
If you have caramelized onions on hand, this is a great last minute appetizer. I frequently do, but you can also purchase onion confit or onion marmalade to have on hand and quickly pull together this beautiful appetizer that, trust me, everyone will love.
Other Puff Pastry Treats
If you like pain au chocolate, or chocolate croissants, you need this recipe to mini pain au chocolat in your own kitchen. You only need 3 ingredients. Or add jam as a fourth ingredient.
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Caramelized Onion and Feta Tartlets with Honey Drizzle
Ingredients
- 9 tablespoons caramelized onion jam
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg yolk, beaten with a bit of milk (or cream)
- 9 tablespoons feta cheese
- 4 sprigs thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon honey, for drizzling
Instructions
- Make (or purchase) the caramelized onion jam. Bring to room temperature. Click on the link in the ingredients for directions on how to caramelize onions.
- Preheat the oven to 425˚F.
- Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, cut the puff pastry sheet into nine rounds and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cut halfway through the rounds using a 2-inch biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, creating a thin border all around the each round. Be careful not to cut through the dough. Pierce the center of the rounds several times with a fork and brush the border with the egg yolk or cream.
- Spoon one tablespoon onion jam in the middle of each pastry round, and top with one tablespoon of crumbled feta, and a twist of fresh black pepper. Bake for 20 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
- Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves and drizzle with honey.
Notes
Nutrition
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cheri
Your great sense of humor comes through with every post, so entertaining! great recipe! when we remodeled our kitchen it took a year and a half only because when they finished the kitchen the rest of the house looked bad.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I totally get that, cheri! Totally. I've already added a couple of little projects...
SallyBR
I hear you! I've been through the same, and keeping up with the SRC (as well as blogging in general) was NOT easy
but, hang in there, this too shall pass!
I love Karen's site, and you picked a fantastic recipe, quite involved for someone going through a kitchen renovation, so I am very impressed!
Traci
What a beautiful looking recipe. I haven't had may tartlets. This may change things. Great pick this month!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious
You had me at "caramelized." And you sealed the deal with feta and puff pastry and fresh thyme!
whatjessicabakednext
These look delicious- I love feta and with those caramelised onions! Yum! 🙂
Lynsey @ Lynsey Lou's
These are a few of my favorite things; these tartlets look amazing and sound delicious. Your challenges getting through this recipe are definitely not evident in your presentation and pictures which are beautiful. Hang in there, the remodel will be over soon! Happy reveal day.
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel
These sound so yummy! And they are so pretty and elegant... love!
Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories
Those are soooo pretty!!! I love the idea of the feta. I'm so sorry you have been in remodeling purgatory! As a Californian, I'm grateful for the rain you are having. Wish we had some down here! Thanks so much for the kind words. I feel the same way about baking bread. xo
Rebekah @ Making Miracles
Wow those look amazing!! What a beautiful choice this month!!
Tara
Absolutely beautiful photo! Will definitely need to try these. Hope your kitchen comes together soon without many more hiccups.
Erika
Oh no, Susan!!! You are a serious champ! I loved the description of the witch-like rain hat and the wrestling of the tent flaps while cooking--that sounds like such a chore. A lesser soul (i.e. me) might resort to canned soup or something in the event of just an outside grill for a cooking mechanism! You are amazing! And to produce tartlets as beautiful as these in spite of it all?? Major props!! I love the combination of honey and tangy cheese and sweet caramlized onions...swoon.
Emily @ Life on Food
I am so impressed you did this in the midst of a kitchen remodel. These tarts looks super yummy!
Melissa
These sound amazing. And your grilling hat made me chuckle! Great pick this month. Good luck with the rest of the remodel!!
Asiya @ Chocolate and Chillies
Wow! These look amazing!!! Great SRC pick!
Lauren Everson
Doing everything on the grill - sounds like my Thanksgiving a couple years ago when my oven caught fire. The grill was our makeshift oven for the day. At least we didn't have to worry about rain too!
Lynn H @ Turnips 2 Tangerines
These sound delicious!! Great SRC pick!
Christine
I'm so impressed that despite all the setbacks you came through! These look amazing!
Nicole (@hapatite)
I'm always looking for a great way to use honey!
Christina
I can empathize with the kitchen remodel. Ours took 1.5 years (no, that was not a typo). My husband decided he was going to build the cabinets from scratch, while he continued his day job! Ugh...what a nightmare, but we did have a huge party to celebrate when it was finished.
The tartlets look and sound divine...I adore goat cheese, so these are now on my list of goat cheese creations to try. Good luck with the rest of the remodel, Susan!
Couscous & Consciousness
Oh gosh, I can totally relate to the "joys" of kitchen renovation. Actually for the first couple of years I was writing my blog, I didn't even have a proper kitchen - I got by with a single hot plate, a little toaster oven, a George Forman grill, and a slow-cooker. I definitely got pretty good at the "one pan wonder".
These tarts were a great choice. They look fabulous, and I would be happy to make these for company. Gorgeous photo too, by the way.
Christina
Are these meant to be served warm or would they be good room temperature?
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks for your question! They should be served warm. But if you want to make them ahead, and then just quickly reheat them, that works too. Hope this helps!
Choc Chip Uru
I adore these tartlets, the honey goes so well with the delicious onion and feta cheese 😀
Yum!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
apuginthekitchen
You made these on a grill, I am inspired and in awe. Have to say Susan you are the very definition of adaptable. Bet you cannot wait for your kitchen to be done. Beautiful little tarts and I love the honey drizzle. YUM!!!
Liz
I love Karen's blog, too! And I can't believe you grilled these tartlets. Mine would have been black! Maybe that's b/c the hubby refuses to buy a gas grill, so whenever I try to gently grill anything, it gets burnt to a crisp! These look spectacular...as I know your kitchen will, too, when it's finished.
Becky @ A Calculated Whisk
These tartlets sound amazing! I love how you paired the sweet caramelized onions with salty feta.
mjskit
The caramelized onion jam caught my attention right off the bat. These tartlets are amazing! I can't believe you were able to crank them out with your kitchen in disarray. You're amazing girl!
Oui, Chef
WOW....you are fearless, baking on a grill! Can't believe they shipped you the WRONG stove, how does that happen? Nice recovery though, these look fabulous!
bristol plasterer
Hmm this look delicious, thanks for posting up this recipe, looks quite simple to make.
Simon
Charlie
Your tartlets look so good!
A must try when I'm up and about.
Praying your renovations going quickly and are done right :~D