Stir it up with Glenn and Regina: 10/22/10

Onion Tart

2 tablespoons butter, you may use olive oil

6 ½ cups thinly sliced sweet onions (4 medium Vidalia are good)

1 ½ teaspoon chopped thyme OR rosemary

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 pie crust, homemade or refrigerated

1 egg white

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded

Gruyere cheese or Swiss cheese

Balsamic vinegar, optional

Slice onions very thinly. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large, heavy skillet melt the butter and add the onions, rosemary or thyme, and salt and pepper. Cook the mixture, stirring only occasionally, until onions are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. If you like the added flavor of balsamic vinegar, add a little to the onions when they are almost browned. Form your pie dough into a 12 inch circle on parchment paper and place on a baking sheet. Brush the pie crust with the egg white. Put about half of the freshly shredded cheese in the center of the pie crush and spoon the onion mixture on top leaving a border of pie crust. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the onions and fold the piecrust border up and over the cheese, pleating as you go around the crust. Remember that you are just folding the crust up on the edges, leaving about a 4 inch wide opening in the center. Brush the crust with the egg whites. Bake tart in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden. Let stand a few minutes before cutting into triangles and serving warm.

Crab Appetizers

1 loaf of French or ciabatta bread

2 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil

1 pound lump crab meat

2 tablespoons sherry

2 teaspoons hot sauce

1 teaspoon salt, divided

½ cup sour cream

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons minced green onion

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons lemon juice

¼ teaspoon pepper

(This entire recipe can be made ahead of time and assembled when your guest arrive. The toasted bread can be place in a zip lock baggie after they are baked and cooled.) Slice bread into ¼ inch thick slices, either into rounds or on a diagonal. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place bread on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Brush the bread with butter or olive oil and bake in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Drain crab meat and pick over for any bits of shell. Toss crab, sherry, hot sauce and half the salt in a bowl and store, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to assemble. Mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise, green onion, lemon zest and juice and pepper and refrigerate, covered until ready to assemble. To serve, place bread slices on a serving tray and spoon a small amount of the sour cream mixture on each piece. Top each slice with the crab mixture and serve right away. They will be gone in seconds.