Toasted Blue Cheese Sandwiches On Walnut Bread

Yield: 2 portions

Method

1. Divide the cheese and ½ cup or so of the caramelized onions between 2 slices of the bread. Top with remaining 2 slices and spread half the softened butter over the tops of each sandwich.
2. Heat a non-stick pan over moderate heat and place the sandwiches buttered side down in the pan. Spread remaining butter over tops of bread. Partially cover and cook until bread is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn and brown other side. Serve immediately.
3. For caramelized onion jam: Add olive oil to a sauté pan and over moderate heat sauté onions until they are just beginning to color. Stir occasionally.
4. Add sugar and continue to cook until onions are rich golden brown and very soft. This will take 15 – 20 minutes total. If onions are browning too fast and a tablespoon or so of water.
5. Stir in vinegar and raisins and season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be made a day or so ahead and refrigerated.
6. For Nut Oil and Grapefruit Vinaigrette: Whisk the oil, grapefruit juice and sugar together until sugar is dissolved. Stir in mint and add drops of hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to develop.

Note: This is really more a method than a strict recipe. I've included quantities but you could certainly adjust wherever you wanted. I developed this as part of a tasting menu that I was doing. This particular recipe was matched to a big, young, somewhat tannic Cabernet Sauvignon but it could go equally well with more subtle young reds such as Pinot Noir. The blue cheese is a perfect foil for wines of this type. The fat and the blue mold both help to soften the tannins and acids and let you get at the fruit. Walnuts too have a bit of tannin which helps balance these in the wine. Use a creamy blue for this. I like Maytag from Iowa, Great Hill in Massachusetts, Cambazola from Germany but my favorite is the Point Reyes Farmstead Blue from Northern California www.pointreyescheese.com or (415-663-8880). Its absolutely delicious and I'm addicted to it! Serve this with a little salad of peppery young greens and a tart-sweet vinaigrette such as a pecan or walnut oil and grapefruit, the recipe for which I've included. Finally, these sandwiches can be cut into triangles as they come out of the pan and served as a tasty hors d'oeuvres.