CARAMELIZED ONION & BLEU CHEESE PIE

CARAMELIZED ONION & BLEU CHEESE PIE

 

 

In a recent visit back home, I was reminded at dinner one evening of some personal favorite flavors that my Dad enjoys.  Namely, Onions and Bleu Cheese.  I have some pretty strong memories of nearly any salad he ever ate had bleu cheese dressing on it.  In fact, it's my dad who actually introduced me to that concept that I now love of creamy-yet-kicks-back as a texture and flavor combo.  Onions, can usually make or break a dish if not incorporated carefully.  So, there we have it!  Two very distinct flavors that add and enhance most dishes, if not make them stand out on their own.  So, the challenge was to find a way to blend these two interesting palate teasers harmoniously, and not have the final product leaving you disappointed.  Thankfully, my fellow pie enthusiast, Ashley English had exactly what was needed in her fantastic book A Year of Pies:  A Seasonal Tour of Home Baked Pies.

 

 

CARAMELIZED ONION & BLEU CHEESE PIE:

INGREDIENTS:

·         1 Pastry Pie Crust, Already Prepared.

·         3 Lbs. Sweet Onions

·         3 Tbs. Unsalted Butter

·         1 ½ Cups of White Wine

·         1 Cup Beef Stock

·         ¼ Cup Sugar

·         1 Cup Bleu Cheese Crumbles, Separated

 

DIRECTIONS:

Peel your onions and cut them into rings.  Cut the rings in half.  In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add wine, stock, and sugar to the onions and continue cooking for another 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Stir the mixture frequently – every 4 to 5 minutes or so – until there is no more liquid at the bottom of the pan.

Continue cooking your onion mixture for an additional 15 to 30 minutes until the edges of the onions start to brown or slightly crisp.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Roll out your previously made & chilled pie crust, and line a baking sprayed pie plate with the pastry.  Return to refrigerator until filling is cooled enough to fill pastry.

Remove your onion mixture from heat and let cool for 3 to 4 minutes.  Once cooled, mix ½ cup of your bleu cheese crumbles into your onion mixture. 

Remove  your pastry crust from the refrigerator and fill with your onion and cheese mixture.  Sprinkle your remaining ½ cup of bleu cheese crumbles on top. 

 

Bake for 20 – 30 minutes until your crust is golden brown.  Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

 

**BAKERS NOTE:  This makes for a wonderful pie on its own, however, try it with sautéed beef steak strips added at the filling stage, or it also makes a fantastic side accompaniment with grilled salmon.