Crostini with the right toppings is an excellent hors d’oeuvre. And this one is particularly good, as it’s hard to go wrong with blue cheese.
Making your own crostini makes this even better. To do that, cut a baguette into about 0.33- to 0.5-inch slices and place them on a baking sheet. Heat your oven to 350° F, and while it’s heating, brush the slices with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then bake for about 10 minutes until they start to brown. Check them often, so they don’t get overdone. When they’ve cooled, rub each slice with a peeled garlic clove. You wouldn’t think it, but the garlic really adds a nice finishing touch.
Even if you use pre-made crostini, with these toppings, they’ll still be really good.
By the way, if you don’t have an outdoor grill, a cast iron grill pan works perfectly for the onions.
This recipe is based on one from Food & Wine magazine.
What you’ll need:
- 2 large sweet onions, each cut into 4 wedges—leave the root end intact so the layers don’t separate
- 2T plus 2t teaspoons aged sherry vinegar, divided (I used black rice vinegar to good effect)
- 4t extra-virgin olive oil
- 1t fine sea salt
- 0.5t ground black pepper
- 10 ounces blue cheese, softened (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 1 baguette, sliced and grilled or toasted
- 0.25 cups honey
- 0.5 cups chopped macadamia nuts
What to do:
Place the onion wedges, cut sides up, on a rimmed baking sheet or large plate. Drizzle evenly with 2T vinegar and 2t olive oil, then sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.
Preheat your gas grill or grill pan to 350° — 400° F. Oil the grates, and if you can push the hot coals to one side of the grill, do that. Place the onion wedges, cut sides up over the side without the coals. Grill, covered, for 20 minutes. If using a grill pan, just cover it with a lid.
After about 20 minutes, turn each onion with a cut side on the grates until grill marks form—about 10 minutes. Turn the onions to the other cut side for another 20 minutes. Gently remove the onions from the grill with a pair of tongs, and set aside to cool for a bit.
After the onions have cooled enough to work with, remove any overly-charred pieces. Finely chop 2 of the onion wedges and stir them together with softened blue cheese in a medium bowl, until combined.
Cut the remaining onion wedges lengthwise into thinner wedges, and separate into them into individual layers—as in the photos. Spread blue cheese mixture evenly over baguette slices and top with onion petals.
Whisk together the honey and remaining 2t vinegar and drizzle the mixture over the crostini.
Last, sprinkle with the chopped macadamia nuts and serve.
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