Recipe

Rich Blue Cheese, Caramelized Onion and Bacon Galette

Photo by fiveandspice

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Late Winter Tart (Sweet or Savory)
Chef
fiveandspice's Notes: I'm slightly ashamed to admit it, but I think I might be pretty happy subsisting on a diet of bacon, blue cheese, and caramelized onion. Well, maybe throw some sweet potatoes and avocado in...
I'm slightly ashamed to admit it, but I think I might be pretty happy subsisting on a diet of bacon, blue cheese, and caramelized onion. Well, maybe throw some sweet potatoes and avocado in there, then I'd be totally set. Oh, and whipped cream. Well, anyways... I decided to take those first three from my list of favorite foods and make a fabulously rich galette. And the crust, I'm happy to say, turned out as one of the best I've ever made. I thought about using a bit of bacon fat in the crust or to caramelize the onions but decided against it to keep the bacon flavor a little more subtle. But, if you'd like more bacon coming through, you could choose to do either!
This rustic tart would make a great hot hors d'oeuvre because a little slice goes a long way. But, a bigger slice of it with some vegetables to accompany it also makes a wonderful, indulgent end of winter lunch or dinner.

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1/4 cup plain Greek-style yogurt or sour cream Ask a question about this ingredient

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or rub it in quickly with your fingers until a meal with pea sized chunks of floury butter forms. Chill this mixture in the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes.
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Make a well in the chilled flour mix, add the yogurt (or sour cream), vinegar, and 3 Tbs. water to the well. Using a fork, mix everything together, adding another Tbs. of water if needed, until a loose dough ball forms. Do not overmix. Gather the dough together and press it into a ball. Flatten it into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
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6 strips of thick center-cut, good quality bacon Ask a question about this ingredient

1/2 cup crumbled good potent blue cheese of your favorite variety, preferrably a raw milk cheese Ask a question about this ingredient

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sautee for about 3 minutes, until softened. Add a pinch of salt. Turn the heat to low and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the onions have caramelized into a fabulously sticky brown mass. At least 30 minutes. Set aside.
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Cut the bacon into lardons and fry until crispy. Drain. Then, mix the cooked lardons into the onion.
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Preheat your oven to 350F. In a small bowl, stir together the mascarpone and blue cheese. Set aside.
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On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry dough into a large circle about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet. Spread the cheese mixture onto the dough, leaving a border of about 1-1 1/2 inches all around. Spread the onion and bacon mixture on top of this. Sprinkle with some freshly ground black pepper.
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Fold the empty dough edges over towards the center of the galette, pinching and crimping them to make them look nice. Bake the galette in the oven for 35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and flaky. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Slice and serve warm. I think this would be lovely with all sorts of light aperitifs - something crisp to contrast with the richness of the galette.
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