Elevate your next gathering with these elegant yet effortless French onion and Comté cheese canapés from The Cordony Kitchen. They’re crispy, cheesy and the perfect mix of chic and crowd-pleasing.
Ingredients
50g salted butter
2 tablespoons (40ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 brown onions, finely sliced
⅓ cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons (80ml) balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
8 slices sourdough, crusts removed
100g Comté cheese, grated (or Gruyère)
4 thyme sprigs, sliced in half, to serve
Method
1
Heat butter, oil and onions in a medium frying pan over low-medium heat for 4 minutes, without browning.
2
Add sugar and vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until onions are soft, golden and jammy (you will need ½ cup to serve with your comté bites). Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3
Preheat oven grill to high. Cut sourdough slices into 16 squares (2 squares per slice, 4x4cm each). Arrange squares on a baking tray and grill, on one side, for 2 minutes, until lightly golden. Set aside 8 squares.
4
Spread untoasted side of remaining 8 squares with caramelised onion, then top with half of the grated cheese. Grill for 1 minute until cheese begins to melt.
5
Place reserved squares on top, toasted side up, to form mini sandwiches. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and grill for about 4 minutes until bubbling and golden.
6
Trim excess cheese. Garnish each square with thyme and serve warm.
TIP!
Store leftover onion in a sterilised jar in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. Leftover sourdough can be made into breadcrumbs. Freeze for up to 3 months.
French onion grilled comté bites. Steel oval tray and steel goblets, In the Roundhouse. ‘Basix’ linen napkin and ‘Flocca’ linen tablecloth, both Hale Mercantile Co. (Photography: Alana Landsberry | Styling: Sophie Wilson | Stylist’s Assistant: Nonci Nyoni)
Dining and Cooking