Caramelized Onion and Tomato Tart

 Recipe from LifesaFeast

Ingredients:

For the tart you need:

-Dough (I used puff pastry about 14 oz/400 g), the original recipe called for bread dough (about 14 oz/400 g) or you could simply use a quiche dough for a 10-inch tart. The puff pastry dough needs to be rolled out, line a lightly oiled 10-inch (25 cm) tart dish, pricked and refrigerated for about 30 minutes while you make the filling. The bread dough, if using, needs to stay out at room temp for 30 minutes once you have rolled it out and lined the oiled tart dish.
-Roll out the dough (even the puff pastry) so when you line the tart/pie dish the dough comes up the sides to make an edge just to the top of the dish.

For the filling you need:

-3 yellow onions - peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced
-2 cloves garlic chopped or minced (not too too finely)
-Fresh or dried thyme and basil (I used dried), salt and pepper
-About 6 medium (maybe 2 - 3 inches across) ripe tomatoes **
-A small handful tiny olives, such as Niçoise olives or Greek olives
-A bit of fresh goat cheese or feta, optional
-Olive oil

** you can use about 400 g (14 oz) cherry tomatoes, sliced in half. Instead of brushing the cherry tomato halves with olive oil before baking, toss in 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil before placing the halves in concentric circles, close together, on top of the caramelized onions.

Directions

-While the dough is resting, caramelize the thinly sliced onions in about 2 tablespoons olive oil. After about 5 minutes, when the onions become translucent and just start to color, add the garlic, salt and pepper and the herbs and continue to cook over medium or medium-low heat until the onions caramelized a golden brown. This usually takes about 10 minutes total. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
-Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
-Spread the onions in the tart shell. If using goat cheese or feta crumble or lay slices over the onions, as much or as little as you like but only one thin layer. Cut off and discard the ends of the tomatoes and slice tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick and lay on top of onions/cheese in concentric circles, pressing the slices closely together in one tight, single layer. Lightly brush the top of each tomato with olive oil, salt and pepper again, a bit of basil and the olives, as many or as few as you like. Bake until the edges of the crust are golden brown about 30 minutes.
-Remove from the oven and allow to cool just a bit before serving in slices. This tart makes a wonderful meal with only a green salad, bread and a cheese platter and a bottle of wine.

Delicata Squash and Roasted Mushrooms with Thyme

Recipe Courtesy of Gourmet.com
 

Ingredients

- 6 tablespoons olive oil
-1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
-3/4 teaspoon sea salt
-1/2 teaspoon black pepper
 - 2 lb delicata squash (3 medium), halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide slices
 - 2 lb mixed fresh mushrooms such as cremini, shiitake, and oyster, trimmed (stems discarded if using shiitakes) and halved (quartered if large)

Directions

- Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.
-Stir together oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Toss squash with 2 tablespoons thyme oil in a shallow baking pan (1/2 to 1 inch deep) and arrange in 1 layer. Toss mushrooms with remaining 1/4 cup thyme oil in another shallow baking pan (1/2 to 1 inch deep) and arrange in 1 layer. Roast squash and mushrooms, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until vegetables are tender and liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated, 25 to 30 minutes.

Green Bean Casserole

This recipe is an adaption of chef Joaquin Baca's (The Brooklyn Star), published in the November 3, 2009 edition of The New York Times. It can be adapted to make a smaller dish by halving the amounts.

Green Bean Casserole
Serves 8

Ingredients
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
2 small red onions, chopped
1 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (can substitute with dried, using a lesser amount)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds green beans, trimmed
¼ cup sliced toasted almonds
½ cup fine dry bread crumbs
½ cup vegetable oil
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
6 pearl onions, thinly sliced (can substitute using fresh or dried medium to large yellow or white onions)

Directions
1. In a food processor, combine half of the mushrooms and onions (red and pearl). Purée to form a paste, and set aside. In a large, wide saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and add remaining mushrooms. Stir, increase heat to high, and sauté until mushrooms release their liquid, then become golden and begin to crisp around edges.
2. Add garlic and thyme, and stir for about 30 seconds. Add mushroom-onion paste and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring constantly, 10 to 15 minutes. Add cream and stock, and season with salt and pepper to taste. At this point mushroom mixture may be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and set aside a large bowl of ice water. Add beans to boiling water and cook until bright green and barely tender, about 1 minute. Drain and immediately plunge into ice water. Drain well.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine green beans, mushroom mixture, almonds and ¼ cup breadcrumbs. Transfer to a baking dish 9 by 12 inches by 2 inches high, patting down to compact and level mixture. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup breadcrumbs. Bake, uncovered, until beans are tender and top is lightly browned, about 35 minutes.
5. To garnish, place oil in a small skillet and heat until it simmers. Place flour in a mixing bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add sliced pearl onions, toss to coat and fry until golden, 30 to 45 seconds. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle on casserole.