Caramelized Onion and Parmesan Tartlets Recipe

4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch julienne strips
1 egg
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
Salt and black pepper to taste
48 (1 1/2 wide x 3/4 inch) mini tartlet shells, pre-baked
Sour cream for garnish (optional)
Finely chopped fresh chives for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium to medium-high heat; add onion. Stirring every minute, sauté onion 6 to 8 minutes or until onion is caramelized to a nice golden brown. Remove from heat, cool and reserve.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk egg slightly. Add cream, cheese, basil, thyme, oregano and reserved onion. Season custard mixture with salt and pepper. At this point you may cover and refrigerate custard until closer to party time that day.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

When ready to bake, fill shells almost to the rim with custard, being careful to have an equal amount of onion in each cup. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until custard is set. Serve warm.

To garnish, combine sour cream and chives in a small bowl. Crown each tartlet with a small dollop of the herbed sour cream.

Chef's Tips: Tartlet shells are usually available at grocery stores or gourmet shops. If you can’t find the shells, layer 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each sheet with melted, unsalted butter. Cut circles or squares to fit a mini muffin pan. Pre-bake the phyllo cups at 325 degrees 5 minutes, or until they start to brown. Fill with custard and bake until custard is set.

Other fillings you might want to use include our Creamed Spinach (see recipe) for another vegetarian version, or our Cajun Enchilada filling (see recipe) topped with Pico de Gallo (see recipe). If you choose the crawfish filling, dice the crawfish a little more. With so many options, you can just let your imagination run wild!