Crostini with Grilled Sweet Onions and Blue Cheese

Name: Crostini with Grilled Sweet Onions and Blue Cheese
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 large Walla Walla or sweet onions, each cut into 4 wedges (root end left intact); 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons aged sherry vinegar, divided; 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 10 ounces blue cheese, softened (about 2 1/2 cups); 1 baguette, sliced and grilled or toasted; 1/4 cup honey; 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts; Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

5.0

(1)

3 Reviews

On the river, Chef Andrae Bopp wraps whole sweet Walla Walla onions in foil and tosses them into the coals of the campfire to roast and caramelize; here we’ve adapted his recipe for your home grill. Don’t skip the zippy honey-vinegar drizzle—it coaxes out even more flavor from the sweet onions and balances the blue cheese.

By Andrae Bopp

Updated on July 31, 2020

Crostini with Grilled Sweet Onions and Blue Cheese Recipe — Photo: Johnny Autry

Active Time:

5 mins

Total Time:

45 mins

Yield:

12

Ingredients

2 large Walla Walla or sweet onions, each cut into 4 wedges (root end left intact)
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons aged sherry vinegar, divided
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 ounces blue cheese, softened (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 baguette, sliced and grilled or toasted
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

Directions

Place onion wedges, cut sides up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle evenly with 2 tablespoons vinegar and oil; sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.
Preheat a gas grill to medium (350°F to 400°F) on one side, or push hot coals to one side of a charcoal grill. Place onion wedges, cut sides up, on oiled grates over unlit side of grill. Grill, covered, 20 minutes. Turn onions onto one cut side; grill, covered, until grill marks form, about 10 minutes. Turn onions onto remaining cut side; grill, covered, until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Let onions cool slightly; discard any outer charred pieces. Finely chop 2 onion wedges; stir together with softened blue cheese in a medium bowl until combined. Cut remaining onion wedges lengthwise into thinner wedges, and separate into petals. Spread blue cheese mixture evenly over baguette slices; top with onion petals. Whisk together honey and remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar; drizzle over crostini. Sprinkle with pine nuts; garnish with thyme leaves.

Suggested Pairing

Tangy Washington state Riesling.