widgeonwood...a farmers' viewpoint, tales, farm fresh food, recipes & "junque"...

Caramelized Onion and Blue Cheese Tartlets

 

 Preheat your oven to 350F.  In a skillet, melt one tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil…add one large thinly sliced Widgeonwood Sweet Onion and sauté over low heat for 15-20 minutes or until nicely browned, stirring occasionally…season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Combine 4 ounces of crumbled blue cheese with one beaten egg yolk and 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt.  I use Athens mini tartlet shells for this recipe…they are easy to find in most freezer sections of the grocery…15 to a box.   Spoon some of the cheese mixture into each shell and bake for about 15 minutes or until set.  Top each tartlet with some of the caramelized onion and serve at once!   Just begging to be served with a Widgeonwood martini.

 

 

Warm Apple/Pear and Gorgonzola Flatbread

 

Preheat your grill…not too hot.  Brush four 8-inch round flatbreads with olive oil…be sure and get the edges!  Top the breads with about an ounce each with crumbled gorgonzola, some thinly sliced farm fresh cored and peeled apples, and some thinly sliced very ripe cored & peeled fresh pears.  Grill the bread over direct heat for about 3 minutes…WATCH THEM…just until toasted on the bottom.  Move to indirect heat and close the cover on the grill and cook for another few minutes or until the cheese is melted and the fruit heated through.  Top each flatbread with shaved curls of Parmesan and drizzle with honey.  Serve at once!  This can be done in your broiler…Serve as an appetizer or a lovely exotic dessert!

 

Stuffed Prosciutto Wrapped Okra

Preheat your oven to 400F.  You will need to cut in half about ½ pound of medium size fresh okra.  Our heirloom Annie Oakley okra is my favorite for sure!  Mix 4 ounces of softened cream cheese with 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste…I love lots of black pepper for this recipe.  Stuff the halved okra with some of the cheese, do not overfill.   Stack 6 slices of prosciutto and cut into strips.  Wrap each okra half with a piece of the prosciutto and place on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.  Bake the okra for 8-10 minutes or until the prosciutto is somewhat crisp…give it a little drizzle of olive oil and serve at once!   Non-okra eaters stuff themselves full of these tasty little bites!!  NO…not slimy! 

Strawberry Bruschetta

 

Wash, hull & dice one cup of strawberries into a small bowl…toss with 2 or 3 tbs. of sugar.  Let the berries sit for about 30 minutes to release their juice.  Spread a thin layer of goat cheese on top of slices of lightly toasted French Baguette.  Top each slice with a spoonful of the strawberries.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil & your best balsamic vinegar…top with chiffonade of basil & sea salt & cracked black pepper!  This is the perfect appetizer to serve with a glass of Champagne!

 

 

  Sweet Potato Crostini

 

Preheat your oven to 400F.  Line your baking sheet with foil and hit with cooking spray.  You will need 2 of our heirloom sweet potatoes.  Cut them into ½ -inch thick slices.  Save the ends for later use…You want uniform slices.  In a small bowl mix 2 tablespoons olive oil with ½ teaspoon smoked paprika.  Place the sweet potatoes rounds on the cooking sheet and brush generously with the oil.  Bake until browned on top but not the bottoms, about 30 minutes.  Place on cooling racks.  Toast ½ cup of sunflower seeds on the same baking sheet for a few minutes after the oven has cooled a bit.  To assemble, just top the sweet potato rounds with a spoonful ofWidgeonwood Salsa (any flavor you like), then a bit of crumbled feta cheese and then a sprinkle of the toasted sunflower seed and fresh chopped cilantro!  This is not only yummy but gluten-free, too.

 

 

Mediterranean Tortilla Pizza

 

Preheat your oven to 375F.  For one tortilla pizza you will need a 10-inch flour tortilla.  Spread the tortilla with about 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil with the back of a spoon.  Then spread with 2 tbs Widgeonwood Marinara Sauce….basically a thin layer of sauce over the olive oil.   Add a layer of parmesan cheese, about 1/3 cup.  On top of the cheese top with a tablespoon sun-dried tomato, a few capers and several slices of our Red Italian Bottle Onion sliced paper thin…I mean mandolin thin.  Top with sea salt, tons of cracked black pepper and a few hot red pepper flacks if you like.  Place the tortilla on a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes or until the edges are browned.  Slice with a pizza cutter.  These tortillas are not only a great fast little lunch but make for fabulous little appetizers with wine or cocktails. 
 

 

Peachy Crostini

 

You will need one bag of my Rustic Farmhouse Grilled Garlic Butter Crostini.  Lay them out nicely on a baking sheet.  Warm them in a 350F oven for a few minutes.  Top each crostini with unpeeled fresh peach segments...pile them on.  Salt and pepper the peaches.  Top with some blue cheese crumbles.  Run under the broiler until the cheese is melted over the peaches.  Drizzle with our Garden of Eden Clover Flower Honey!  Serve at once.  Fabulous with wine or cocktails!  Or a seriously divine totally farmhouse dessert with a glass of Champagne.

 

 

Ratatouille Crostini     makes 20-25

 

First preheat your oven to 450F.  You will need one medium fresh eggplant, 2 medium zucchini, 1 medium sweet onion, and 1 sweet bell pepper (any color).  Chop these veggies into ½ inch pieces and place in a large bowl.  Toss the veggies with ¼ cup EVOO, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 3 cloves minced garlic and a teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Lay the veggies out on an oiled rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes.  Then add 2 chopped tomatoes and drizzle all well with more EVOO.  Roast another 10 minutes or so until the veggies are all tender.  Meanwhile…you will have sliced a French baguette into 1-inch diagonal cut slices.  Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Toast the slices for 5-6 minutes, until golden.  Once they come out of the oven top each crostini with some grated mozzarella…you will need about 2 cups.  Put the cheese topped crostini in the oven for another few minutes to melt the cheese.  Top each crostini with some of the roasted ratatouille and chopped fresh basil and serve at once.