Onion Confit Tarts

These onions caramelize beautifully.  They taste wonderful on puff pastry but if you want to be calorie wise try serving on toasted whole grain bread or pita.  You can use any sweet onion available if you have a hard time finding Vidalia.  From Food and Drink 2002.

1 - 397 g package frozen puff pastry, defrosted
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
6 cups Vidalia onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup red wine
1 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cut puff pastry in half.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out each rectangle into a thin rectangle, approximately 11 x 12 inches in size.  Cut 3 inch circles to fit into small muffin or tart tins.  Press into tins, prick and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375F.
3. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet on medium heat.  Add onions and toss together for 5 minutes or until softened.  Add wine, sugar and stock.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and cook onions for 15 to 20 minutes or until onions are very soft and liquid has almost evaporated.  Add thyme, season well with salt and pepper and add cream.  Cook together for 5 minutes longer or until onions are a creamy mass.  Stir in parsley.
4. Remove tart shells from refrigerator and fill each with about 1 tbsp onion mixture.  Sprinkle top of each tart with 1 tsp Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until pastry is crisp and onions are heated through.

Fresh Rosemary Pork Roast With Vidalia Onions and Rose Wine Sauce

Posting this for you Kristin!

This recipe came from Food & Drink Early Summer 2011.  I changed the pork roast for two pork tenderloins and they were in the brine for about 4 hours longer than the recipe calls for (I didn't want to get up at 1 am to take them out).  It turned out beautifully!  Do not skimp on the fresh Rosemary with dried.  It just won't come out the same.  This is the second time I have used a brine and I have had success both times.  It is an easy way to make your roast/bird tender and juicy.

Brine
8 cups cold tap water, divided
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Roast
2 to 3 lbs (1 to 1.5 kg) well trimmed boneless pork loin roast
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cups diced Vidalia or other sweet onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Sauce
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 to 2 tbsp butter
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup rose wine
1 tsp finely minced fresh rosemary

1. Heat 2 cups water mixed with salt and sugar until very warm; stir to dissolve salt and sugar.  Meanwhile, place loin in a large casserole dish big enough to hold it and water, such as a 13 x 9 inch dish; pour in remaining cold tap water.  Add warm sugar and salt water.  Cover; refrigerate 8 to 12 hours.  (If longer time is needed, refrigerate in brine for up to 12 hours; then drain.  Return to drained dish; refrigerate until needed, up to half a day.)
2. Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat until hot.  Add onion; reduce heat to medium-low.  Saute, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until onion is lightly golden and much reduced in volume.  Stir in garlic.  Remove from heat; put a third of onions into a small dish.  Reserve these for sauce.  Mix parsley, rosemary, black pepper and salt into remaining onions.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F.
4. Drain loin; discard brine.  Pat dry with paper towels.  Lay roast on cutting board.  Horizontally stab a boning knife into centre of 1 end, carefully working knife back and forth to form a slash that comes within 1 inch of either side.  Turn roast and do same from other side.  Work knife carefully so slash goes completely through length of loin.
5. Switching ends back and forth as needed, stuff rosemary-onion mixture into loin slit.  (roast can be covered and refrigerated for up to half a day.)
6. Heat a large heavy frying pan capable of going into the oven (cast iron is best) until hot, over medium-high heat.  Beginning fat-side down, brown pork about 2 minutes per side.  Place in oven, fat side up.
7. Bake 50 minutes; if roast is browning too much, loosely cover with a piece of foil.  Check internal temperature with an instant read thermometer.  As needed, continue baking another 10 to 20 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 145 to 150 F (allow additional roasting time for made ahead chilled stuffed roast.)  Remove roast to cutting board; tent with foil while making sauce.
8. Sprinkle flour over pan dripping; add butter as needed to mostly dissolve flour.  Place pan over medium heat; slowly stir in a mixture of broth and wine.   Mixture will be lumpy.  Bring to a boil; let bubble several minutes or until desired thickness.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.  Stir in any juices released by tented roast.
9. Strain gravy, discarding solids; stir in reserved onions and final tsp of rosemary.  Taste and add seasonings as needed.  Slice roast a generous 1/4 inch thick, laying slices as cut onto warm serving plates.  Drizzle with a bit of sauce; pass remaining sauce at the table.

Generously serves 6 to 8.