Bleu Cheese & Grilled Onion Crostini

Sometimes the best recipes happen when I’m trying to use up things I have around the house.  :-)

Here’s a little recipe that I threw together the other day and I like it a lot! 

Bleu Cheese and Grilled Onion Crostini

Makes 2 appetizers

• Six 1/4" slices of crusty, rustic bread (I used Grace Bakery’s "Garlic Bread", a dense loaf with cloves of garlic baked into the bread)
• 1/4 cup (about 2 oz) spreadable Bleu Cheese, like St. Agar
• Dried tart red cherries, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup grilled sweet onions (recipe follows)

Lightly toast the bread.  While it is still warm spread a thin layer of the bleu cheese on each slice.  Sprinkle a few cherries on each piece and gently press into the cheese.  Top with grilled onions. 

Place under the broiler about 3 minutes, just until the crostini are slightly warmed and the cheese is beginning to sizzle. 

Serve with cocktails or a hearty glass of red wine. 

Grilled Sweet Onions

• Cut a sweet onion such as Mayan, Walla Walla or Hawaiian in half and then into thin slices.  (if you can’t find a sweet onion a yellow onion will work, too)
• Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter to large sauté pan.  Heat over medium heat until butter is melted.
• Add onions.  Sauté until onions are translucent and starting to become tender.  Add 1 clove finely minced garlic and 1 Tbsp fresh thyme.
• Continue sautéing until the onions are very tender and have turned a medium golden brown. 
• Add 1 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar to pan.  Stir to distribute evenly through the onions and then remove pan from the heat. 

These can be stored in the refrigerator for several days and used in anything from scrambled eggs to pasta dishes to the crostini recipe above.