This is our first weekend after being away for a whole month, so I am craving a nice dinner and a slow weekend.

I looked through some of my favorite recipes and found this one on my former blog, and thought you might like to try it, I will bake one tonight.

I have some great friends, and one of them, Ces, now living in Vancouver, gave me once a cookbook that I have used several times with great enthusiasm and delicious results…(the only thing that I literally threw away, were some brownies that sounded great but I forgot to add the sugar!) I am still waiting -and hoping- that all will forget that experience so I can try making them again.

This tart, however, has become one of my favorite dishes. It is creamy, and the flavours just melt in your mouth…the sweetness of apples with the strong flavor of blue cheese is absolutely a delight, and there is still more; you serve it with an onion-thyme confit.

It looks beautiful on the table, great for brunches, lunches, buffets, or even a lighter dinner.

I would like to share the recipe with you…ENJOY, and then tell me what you though about it.

Apple, Spinach and Blue Cheese Tart.

1 pre-baked tart shell (I use TB’s recipe-below-)

1 tbsp (15ml) butter

1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil

1 cup (240 ml) chopped leeks

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cracked pepper

1 bunch of spinach, stemmed, washed and wilted

3 eggs

1 cup (240 ml) light cream

1 cup (240 ml) crumbled blue cheese

Note: If you are serving little kids, you may want to use 1/2 cup blue cheese and 1/2 cup of a mild
white cheese. ( I used Mexican manchego)

3 apples, a combination of red and green.

1 egg white , slightly beaten.

UNO.

Heat butter and olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt and sauté until the leeks are soft. Set aside to cool. wilt the spinach, squeeze out excess water and chop. Next, lightly, beat the eggs in a bowl. add cream, salt and pepper and whisk together.

DOS.

To assemble tart, evenly distribute crumbled blue cheese over bottom of the pre- baked tart shell. Follow with the leeks and the spinach. Pour the egg mixture over top.

TRES.

Quarter and core the apples. Thinly slice each quarter into 8 thin wedges. Starting at the outer edge of the tart, overlap apple slices, skin sides facing out, in a circle around the edge. Spiral the overlapping slices towards the center of the tart to cover the entire surface. Beat the egg white in a small bowl and brush over the apples. Place the tart on a baking tray and bake at 350ºF for 25- 30 mins., or until egg is set and the crust has browned. Let the tart rest for at least 15 mins ( I let it stand for almost 30 mins) before serving from the pan. Cut into wedges and serve with the onion-thyme confit on the side.

You want to know something? I forgot to take a picture of the result!  but just imagine it…

ONION- THYME CONFIT

2 tbsp butter

2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced.

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp minced thyme

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Melt the butter in a skillet; add onions, salt and sauté 10 mins. Stir in the remaining ingredients and continue to cook for 20 min., until the onions are golden, sweet and broken down.

TB’s Tart/ Pie Shell

Never fails…just add 4 tbsp sugar if you are using it with a sweet pie or tart.

2 cups flour

300 grs. butter (3 1/2 sticks)

4 egg yolks

12 tbsp cold water

Work together into a nice and smooth dough.

I really hope you enjoy this as much as my family does. May your conversations around the table be better yet!

Ces, I miss you!