french onion tart + uk cookbook release
This strange thing that’s been happening over these book tours that I spend the entirety of my time outside the kitchen pining for it. I constantly jot down recipe ideas and become obsessed with making something very specific when I get home, like English muffins that taste like rye bread or a breakfast burrito like the awesome one I had at the Salt Lake City Airport (seriously) or intense homesick cravings for street meat from Rafiqi’s. Then I get home and… nothing. My cooking motivation goes through the floor. I try not to fight it; I hate when cooking is a chore, so we’ll order in or go out for one night, and then another. Usually, by the third evening, I am so completely over it — the salad with too much dressing, the raw-centered burger that you send back and comes out burnt through — that I’m back in the kitchen, relieved that absence made my cooking obsession stronger.
Alas, it’s still March in New York City which means that just because I’m excited to cook doesn’t mean that there’s a lot of very exciting ingredients to cook with right now. My fridge is either filled with ever-fresh vegetables and fruits of distant origins and disturbing packaging dates or it’s bare bones. Digging around the other day, I found little but onions, a old hunk of cheese, butter and eggs and could think of no better way to turn them into something greater than the sum of their parts than quiche. I took a page from my cookbook, wherein I reduce French Onion Soup to it’s most essential parts — brothy caramelized onions, toasts and broiled cheese, to be served as a snack — and expanded it into what has got to be the best dinner tart we’ve had in ages. If you like the soup but were hoping for more of a meal; if you have almost nothing in the fridge and don’t feel like shopping; if you’ve got a brunch this weekend and want to up the bar on your go-to quiche, well, I think this is how you should.
The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, UK/Australia Edition: Last Thursday, The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook came out in the UK and Australia. (The US edition, from Knopf, and Canadian edition, from Appetite Canad, were both released in October 2012.) I am so excited about it, I wanted to give you a little preview here. The book looks a little different; the cover is pink, abstract and jacketless, showcasing a recipe inside for Rhubarb Almond Hamantaschen. They’re not really traditional hamantaschen; there’s no vegetable oil or orange juice. In fact, they’re closer to free-form tartlets than they are to heavy cookies, just the way I like them. I hope you do too.
The recipes inside are exactly the same, but they’ve been anglicized a little — eggplants are aubergines, for example, and alternative suggestions are made for ingredients not readily available on the other side of the pond. While the U.S. edition has measurements in cups-and-spoons and weights in grams and sometimes ounces, the UK/Australian edition is just in weights and spoonfuls. The book should be available throughout the UK and Australia from online and brick-and-mortar retailers. I hope if you were holding out to buy the book until it finally crossed the pond, this will be worth the wait. [More Cookbook Information]
Out and about: Book Tour II continues, and what fun it has been! I will be in Minneapolis Tuesday evening and Louisville at the end of the month. Every listing and all of the details are on this page. Come say hi?
One year ago: Fried Egg Sandwich with Bacon and Blue Cheese and Multigrain Apple Crisps
Two years ago: Spaghetti with Lemon and Olive Oil, Pina Colada Cake and Whole Wheat Goldfish Crackers
Three years ago: Monkey Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze, Cauliflower and Caramelized Onion Tart, Thick, Chewy Granola Bars, Arroz Con Leche, Baked Rigatoni with Tiny Meatballs and St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
Four years ago: Red Kidney Bean Curry, Thick Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Meatball Sliders, Key Lime Coconut Cake, and Steak Sandwiches
Five years ago: Pear and Almond Tart, Escarole and Orzo Soup with Meatballs
Six years ago: Baked Tomato Sauce
French Onion Tart
I tend to fiddle around with different crust ratios each time I make a savory tart shell because I’m still looking for my favorite. Below is (roughly) the one recommended by Larousse Gastronomique. If you have a go-to crust that you love, feel free to use it here. If you can’t be bothered making one, there’s no shame in buying one at the store. I also tend to go back and forth on the value of par-baking crusts — if you blind bake them first, you will get a more crisp shell and deeper color in the end (if, uh, you bake it as long as I recommend below, and not for the shorter time that I did, because I wasn’t paying attention). It’s totally up to you if you feel this step is worth it; it still works if you put the filling in a raw pastry shell, it just stays a bit more pale.
Crust
2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces or 113 grams) chilled butter, in cubes
3 tablespoons cold water
Filling
1 1/2 pounds (about 4 medium onions), halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Scant 1/2 teaspoon table salt
Pinch of sugar
1 cup low-sodium beef, veal or mushroom stock/broth
2 teaspoons cognac, brandy or vermouth (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces or 60 grams) grated Gruyere, Comte or Swiss cheese
1 large egg
1/2 cup heavy cream
Make crust: Mix flour and butter together in a large bowl or the work bowl of a food processor. Add butter; either rub the butter bits into the flour with your fingertips, with a pastry blender or (in the food processor option) by pulsing the machine on in short bursts until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Sprinkle in cold water and mix it with a spoon, a few more cuts with a handheld pastry blender, or by pulsing the machine a couple more times. The mixture should form large clumps. Knead it gently into a ball; it will be on the firm side but should be easy to roll.
Lightly butter a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable base. Don’t have one? Try a standard pie dish or even a 9-inch cake pan. The second two options will be hard/impossible to unmold later, but there’s no harm in serving the tart from its baking pan.
Roll your dough out between two pieces of plastic wrap until it is about 11 inches in diameter. Peel the top plastic layer off and reverse the dough into the prepared tart pan, lifting the sides to drape (rather than pressing/stretching the dough) the dough into the corners. Press the dough the rest of the way in and up the sides. Trim edges, which you can leave ever-so-slightly extended above the edge of the tart pan, to give you some security against shrinkage. Chill for 15 minutes in your freezer.
If par-baking the crust (see notes up top for pros/cons): Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter a piece of foil and press it tightly into your firm-from-the-freezer tart shell. Fill tart shell with pie weights, dried beans or rice or pennies and blind bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from oven, carefully remove foil and weights, and return to oven for another 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly golden at edges. Set aside until needed.
Make filling: Melt the butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions to the pan, toss them gently with the butter and oil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the pan. Cook the onions for 15 minutes, then remove the lid, stir in the salt and sugar and saute without the lid for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are fully caramelized and have taken on a deep golden color. Pour in cognac, if using it, and the stock, then turn the heat all the way up and scrape up any brown bits stuck to the pan. Simmer the mixture until the broth nearly completely disappears (wetter onions will make for a wetter quiche), about 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust the salt, if needed, and season with freshly ground black pepper.
In a small bowl, beat the egg and cream together.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Assemble and bake tart: Fill prepared tart shell with onion mixture. Pour egg-cream mixture over. Ideally, this will bring your filling level to 1/4-inch from the top, however, variances in shells, pans, pan sizes and even onion volume might lead you to have a lower fill line. You can beat another egg with cream together and pour it in until it reaches that 1/4-inch-from-top line if you wish. Sprinkle cheese over custard and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a sharp knife inserted into the filling and turned slightly releases no wet egg mixture. Serve hot or warm, with a big green salad.



























Congratulations! I can’t wait to make this wonderful tart.
ooh. that sounds good. and possibly just the thing for tomorrow night’s dinner. I’ve got a pie crust in the freezer that just needs to be rolled out and plopped into a tin. and I think all I need is Gruyere. now…..how to sell it to the little people
Yummy!! French onion soup is my fave, can’t wait to try it in a tart :) and congrats on the cookbook!
Congrats! I was getting sad that you had not posted in a while, but this beauty, and your newest book release make it all better!
Yummy. CAn you replace tart pan with glass pie pan?
Petra — A pie pan can be used (I mention this in the recipe). If glass, you’ll probably want to bake it at 25 degrees lower temperature.
I’m so relieved it finally came out in the UK. I preordered it at Christmas for sister-in-law in London and emailed me this weekend to tell me it arrived and she was thrilled! Whew!
I love quiche, but have never yet met one that bakes up in the time required. Is this really only a 30 minute bake? The last quiche I made said 30 minutes and it took well over an hour! Any idea what I am doing wrong? And yes, I think my oven temperature is accurate. It’s a relatively new stove and every other recipe has worked.
Can you really get so much onions to fully caramelize for just 10-15 minutes?! Is there some trick? It always takes me a bit more than an hour when I’m making the french onion soup (and I mean this step only)…
This looks easy enough and so good! My daughter is making some butternut squash soup for us tonight and I’m thinking this would be a nice complement. Finally, we get some of your travel impressions. I’d like to hear more! You’re a talented writer…so write, already!
Love the UK version of the book as well! (Is it weird, that I kinda want both? Haha)
By the way, made your olive and ricotta cake a few weeks ago and it was a hit. I served it with a lime-cardamom frozen yogurt and a simple (frozen) berry coulis. Hmm!
Yum. I love all things onion-based.
My daughter got delivery of your book this morning! I’m looking forward to my next visit to her so I can see it! It looks amazing! Congratulations!
for what its worth, I would love an english muffin that tastest like rye bread =)
Onions, cheese, and crust–three of my top-five favorite foods. I will have to try this!
I received the UK edition last week and it’s wonderful! I also have the US version (I couldn’t wait), but I must admit to preferring the cover of the UK copy. Well done Deb, I’m positive it will be a huge success here and I’ve already seen it in one of the supermarket magazines (Waitrose). Now, when are you coming to Edinburgh? (Only joking…kind of).
Curious how hamentashen were decided on for the cover. Don’t get me wrong, the cover is gorgeous; like stained glass. It’s just I’d never think to put them on a cover for the UK. My dad is originally from London and we have family that’s still there. Not the most Jew-friendly place out there — not anti-semitic, just, well, it’s no New York City. That being said, did you ever notice how Nigella features “Jewish” foods in her cookbooks? I was just looking at a cookbook last week that featured “Jewish chicken soup” and my friend Sara has her cookbook about holiday foods and she features some pretty obscure Jewish holidays…Congrats on the newest publication. I’m blown away by the mosaic photo. Where in this great country of ours was that taken?
Deb – congratulations on winning the Food52 Piglet! That’s so awesome. You must be really happy about that accomplishment. Also, congrats on your book’s release in the UK and Australia.
This looks phenomenal!
Any suggestions for a gluten free tart crust, though? It looks like only the flour in the crust (and maybe the broth, depending) would stop this from being a great GF meal.
My husband spotted your book here in London last week, and snapped it up immediately. We’ve already made two meals from it, and I’m really looking forward to finishing up the leftover meatballs/meatloaf for dinner this evening! Thanks for writing such a brilliant book.
I love the recipe in your book for the French onion toasts. They have been my go to recipe to take to a party for the last couple of months. I must confess that I always save some of the onions and make myself a totally decadent grilled cheese the next day. So, it goes without saying that I will be trying this recipe soon as well.
BTW…Love the cover on the UK version of your book!
I have been waiting for the book ever since I discovered your blog and it will finally arrive in a couple of days! I cannot wait to try the recipes out! I am sure they will be delish!
How delicious! I was devastated to find out that you were in NC the day before you arrived. Alas, wedding planning and prepping took priority. :(
I can’t wait to make this (I am in the “want more than soup” meal category)!
My copy of the UK edition of your book arrived last week and I spent all weekend savouring it – it must have been such a big job to ‘translate’ everything into UK-English! It’s beautiful, huge congratulations Deb!
Congrats on your UK release — I know your book will be a hit. Sorry if this is a silly question but will only 1 egg hold the filling together? Thanks.
As someone who flies out of Salt Lake far more than I ever wish to, I demand to know the purveyors of the above mentioned breakfast burrito.
Well, a gentle demand. More a kind request, really. And I hope you had a good time in my city :)
I made something very similar recently, but the leftover cheese I had in my fridge was an aged goat cheese (crottin); what an awesome combination of sweet onions and nutty cheese!
Congrats on your UK book release! This tart sounds fabulous – I love anything and everything “french onion.”
I’m taking a class at Sur La Table centered around your cookbook next month and I can’t wait!
I am not a fan of onions, but this tart is so beautiful I might be swayed.
To Laura at Blogging over Thyme: I want the UK version too, so you’re in good company!! :)
Deb, Congratulations on the UK/Australia cookbook release! Is there an easy way for us Americans to get ahold of the UK version here in the U.S.?
This might be a stupid question, but if you use beans or rice for your weights can you use them for eating still or does it make it impossible for them to cook properly?
I have been contemplating pie weights for years, so it would be nice to know about all of the alternatives.
That is way cool. I have a number of UK friend I know who would love your book (and this recipe). I’m forwarding this to them for there enjoyment. :-)
Yum, this looks like (savory) tart heaven!
This tart looks super tasty! And I love the UK cover! :)
Yum! Going on my to-do list. Typo alert: Under “Make crust” I think you meant to say “Mix flour and SALT together” not flour and butter.
Seanna — Not a stupid question. It makes them harder to cook. It’s best to buy some cheap ones for this purpose, and reuse them forever. I think pie weights are a silly investment and I know this because I bought them, twice! My TWO packets together still didn’t fill a standard pie shell. Frustrated, I dumped rice in and have been using this strange medley since.
Laura — You’d have to order it through Amazon.co.uk or another UK retailer that ships overseas.
Little Kitchie — Hooray! I’m finishing your bookplates as we speak. ;)
Jessica — It was… this Tex-Mex place next to the McDonalds. It did not look promising. But they not only have breakfast burritos, they had breakfast enchiladas, tacos AND huevos rancheros. I cannot tell you how much this makes my heart go pitter-pat. It was seriously incredible for airport food and I want another. Right now.
Molly — I actually have no idea. For the US cover, we did 17 versions before finalizing it and I was involved at every point. There was hemming, hawing, tears, conference calls, ugh. For this, they sent me one cover, and I liked it. (A close-up of the Gooey Cinnamon Squares.) Then they sent me this and I liked it more, so there was little to discuss.
I just made a quiche this weekend too, also inspired by the bleak contents of my fridge. It’s that time of year! Yours looks amazing. Great to meet you in Salt Lake City last week.
Hi Deb, I own a copy of your US cookbook (pre-ordered from Amazon way back when), and now I feel like I have to buy the UK one as well! Ugh, I love the UK cover MUCH more than the US one… and I’m not a fan of dust jackets as well. Have you met Ottolenghi?!
Congrats on the UK book release! Love the cover – the colors, the lightened up look, the pretty Hamantaschen and how cool you can sort of tweak things, i.e. aubergine/eggplant, the measurements, etc for that market and audience. Wish you tons of sales$$, Deb! Congrats!
Marina — The trick is in the recipe — it’s the part where you lid the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. They’re quite soft by then and half-cooked. I got this trick from Julia Child’s recipe, and it always works.
Lisa — This totally will (in a 9-inch round tart pan; a deeper one will take longer). There’s a lot of onions and just one egg. It sets quickly at 400.
daphne — No, not yet! I tried to make it to one of his events when he was in NYC a couple months ago promoting his book, but I had this pesky bronchitis thing… may not have been made to feel welcome. ;)
Don’t any guys admit to perusing this site? Love the recipes and I try them on occasion.
Oops! Didn’t notice Scott and Averie first time round. Sorry
WoW! I think I may be able to convince my carnivorous hubby to give this a try! We suffer from “If it’s not meat, it’s not a meal” -itis at our house. A steak salad alongside and we may be set!
Hoping to see you at your Minneapolis event tomorrow, if the weather cooperates. Hope you have a great event and our city treats you well!
Well someone needs to like flying! haha This tart looks lovely! Congrats on the UK release!
yay for UK release. I feel same way about cooking sometimes- just want to order something and call it a night-
Jerry, there are many ;)
Although I’d rather start doing my own French quiche now, I’d still have a desire to look into your book. Congratulations, hope to find one on my shells soon.
Greetings from already spring-warm Croatia!
Great to hear the UK version has launched and I love the cover and am pleased to hear it has aubergines, not eggplants (and courgettes rather than zucchini, rather than crust etc., I hope) and grams rather than cups. Mind you, I have become pretty good at converting in my head and amaze my friends with my abilities in this area since discovering so many great US food blogs! I am off to order my copy now! Before I go, I make a very similar tart to this and love it. I am a fan of blind baking every time! I think it is worth the extra time for the superior result.
So interesting to see the difference in covers. Very cool!
Dear lord in heaven, that tart looks amazing. I think I would like some grilled brats on the side too. And a salad. And a beer.Or wine. No, a beer.
Congratulations on your cross-pond success!
Congrats! Coincidentally, my friend and I had to look up the meaning of courgettes because it was a flavor of cupcake that we were going to order for our first time in London!
By the way, this recipe looks so good. There’s nothing better than a savory vegetable tart! Coincidentally, my blog post today is my version of your amazing Buttermilk Roast Chicken. To die for!
Congrats! Coincidentally, my friend and I had to look up the meaning of courgettes because it was a flavor of cupcake that we were going to order for our first time in London!
By the way, this recipe looks so good. There’s nothing better than a savory vegetable tart! Coincidentally, my blog post today is my version of your amazing Buttermilk Roast Chicken. To die for! (http://vintagezest.blogspot.com/2013/03/buttermilk-roast-chicken.html)
Ahhh definitely sold me on the onion tart. Thought it looked good when I first glanced at it, but after all those practical reasons? Yeah, I’ve gotta be making this soon. And congrats about the UK release! Looks beautiful– love the ottolenghi and rachel khoo praise on the front ;)
Ooh, yum. I keep wanting to make french onion soup SO BAD, but I don’t have the right bakeware. Looks like this might be a good middle ground, until I can find some oven-safe soup bowls.
Is cream always present in your fridge? I was with you on seeing this as a “staples” recipe, but then I saw the cream. I’ve heard of people freezing cream, and it seems like it would work for a recipe like this, but I’m not sure about baking applications (I know it won’t work for whipped applications). Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
Ohhh, dear. Help me. I think I’m falling in love with this tart. I wish I had ANY hope of getting the other four people at my table to even consider eating this. And any hope that I wouldn’t devour the whole thing in one sitting. Swoon.
Kristi — I do seem to have it around a lot. I also tend to buy the stuff that seems to have at least one month before it expires. (Not the freshest or most delicious, but always practical.)
Beautiful cover! And congrats on the UK and Australia release!!
I need this tart in my life. Simply beautiful :)
so i bought a bag of onions at the market the other day, forgetting that i already HAD a bag of onions at home in the fridge, and so have been hunting around for a good onion tart recipe……and here it is. thank you! will be making this tonight!
hi deb,
off topic: completely addicted to your chocolate sablès.
am very jealous re:flying, as i am scared to death of it and my family has to literally drag me on a plane. claustrophobia problem. shall try next time to be inspired by your enthusiasm:)best from faraway berlin,anja
It was so nice to meet you in Atlanta! I legit thought your jokes were funny. :) If you ever make it back, I’d love to recommend some restaurants for you -ATL has really grown up food-wise. I hope you got a decent dinner!
And now I’m craving caramelized onions… mmmm!
Deb! I’m so excited you’re coming to my fair city, and so disappointed that I have to miss your author talk to…teach a cooking class. Enjoy the beautiful Central Library, and if you get a chance, eat one of Matt’s Bar’s famous Jucy Lucys…you won’t regret it.
Getting on to Amazon straight away. Hurrah! Now – when are you coming to London Town to promote? We have SERIOUS clouds here…
Beautiful! Must make this soon. I bought a ten pound bag of onions early on in January and I’m just finishing it up. But this looks perfect and I’ve got some butter that I should use up. Weekend baking project for sure.
PS got the cookbook for Christmas, its wonderful, although I had some trouble shaping my hamantashen for Purim, but maybe thats just because its my first time making hamantashen… And you did quite well in the piglet contest over on Food52, which must be exciting. I hope you’re enjoying your whirl wind book tour! Where are you off to next?
Just ordered the UK/AUST edition – just this minute. Super excited to have it delivered. Thank you so much for your lovely blog + beautiful recipes. I know I will use + use + use again your cookbook.
Louisville can’t wait to see you!!! So grateful you are coming here!
Oh my goodness! I cannot wait to get the UK edition! Please tell me you’ll be book touring here too! :) x
I made your Leek and Mushroom Quiche last weekend and we really enjoyed it, very tasty! If this one is as good, it will be very good too.
The UK edition looks great! I kinda wish I has is so I did not have to to math every time I cook out of my American edition, but my book is all that more special because I did not wait to move back home to buy it, as it is signed by you!
Hi Deb,
I love your blog and was SO EXCITED to get your cookbook in the post here in the UK. I pre-ordered it on Amazon months and months ago and when I got the package (which could only be a cookbook) I didn’t know it would be your book. What a wonderful surprise for me! The hamantaschen look amazing! A random thing, but apart from UK measurements, I also love how the book refers to pounds (£) rather than dollars ($). It’s rare that a publisher/author bothers to make these changes for a UK audience, we feel loved!
Anyway, I am thrilled to have the book and am enjoying your prose as much as the photos (though no doubt not as much as I will enjoy devouring the food I will make!).
Thank you! Vanessa (from London)
I was so happy when my Amazon delivery guy handed over my copy on Saturday, I’d totally not been expecting it, so it was a pleasant surprise. So when’s the UK tour then? :oD
Hi Deb,
Congrats on all the success of your cookbook! I have been reading your blog for the past few years and really enjoy the recipes and photos. Will you be coming to Australia? I am a native NYer who lives in Sydney. I would def go to your book signing and be happy to show you the sights if you had time. It is gorgeous here, the food is very fresh and people love to cook. I hope you make it down under.
Cheers ~ Suzy Q down under
REALLY looking forward to seeing you in Minneapolis tomorrow night! Thanks for the 2nd leg of the book tour!
Lovely post – I was wondering if you plan to have a comment section on your blog for recipes from your cookbook? The comment section is very helpful when making your recipes especially for when readers sub an ingredient or provide another opinion on how it turns out. Thanks! Lauren
P.S. Thanks so much for your Caesar salad dressing, waffles and broccoli pesto recipes. Esp the Caesar salad, I’ve already made it like 50 times.
This sounds great! I’m going to put it in the queue. Tonight, however is gnocchi in tomato broth, which is currently simmering away nicely on the stove. Now off to make the gnocchi, my first try at this. Wish me luck!
I’m in Australia (from New Zealand originally) & saw your book in the bookstore the other day – was quite excited! Although I brought my copy online months and months ago & have already made 1/2 a dozen recipes from i! (Not great at delaying gratification, haha). Definitely going to try this tart too, looks delicious.
Man, that UK cover is gorgeous. I almost want to buy it just for the cover.
I can’t wait to make this. I love quiche.
YES! Obviously I ordered your US addition, (because waiting until February would have been torture), yet I was still SO excited to have the UK version in my hands yesterday. I really love the cover and the fact that you’ve gotten praise from Ottolenghi and Rachel Khoo! Congratulations. :) Waitrose mag chose your book as book of the month (do you know what they wrote? if not, I can type it up for you, it’s very sweet) and Sainsbury’s mag featured your chocolate hazelnut crepe cake in their cake feature in their April issue!
So now we are all just waiting for you to come on over. :)
P.S On a post-related note, this looks delicious. My motto is ‘all good things start with an onion’ so this is exactly my kind of tart.
I’m so excited to finally have your cookbook in my hands. Come to England!
Awesome~! Appreciate the little changes that make it more Aussie-friendly – thank you! ;)
I was devastated when I arrived home from uni on Wednesday to find a missed delivery card. Luckily I was there to pick it up when they tried again Thursday – I’ve been devouring both the book and the food inside it ever since! The potato frittata was delicious (even without bacon), the chicken milanese was lovely for both dinner and lunch the next day, and the gooey cinnamon squares were, to quote a friend, “So good I’m considering getting down on one knee”. Congratulations on a fantastic book :)
Who do we need to harass/beg/bribe for you to bring your book tour down under? Do it for your fans Deb! We’ll come bearing gifts, promise!
Oh sometimes it’s like you read my mind! I am in love with the french onion toasts and have made them several times since the cookbook came out (always a huge hit!)…but just the other day I had a hankering for a quiche and had not connected the dots until I saw your recent post. swoon. Congrats on the UK version it makes me want to buy another copy :)
I too have a pretty bleak fridge right now. I am moving to NYC this spring, and was wondering which CSA you use? I’m looking to sign up so I can have pretty, fresh veggies all summer long.
I have the US edition, but I love the UK cover!
Congrats on the further release of your book! I can’t wait to make this recipe. What a brilliant idea to take the French onion soup (my favorite!) and transform it into a tart! I’ve been busy trying my hand at (mostly sweet) breakfasts; now I’ll have something savory to add to the mix!
Thanks for the tip- I’ll check out this random airport tex-mex place the next time I fly out! Weird how you can live in a place for so long and still find surprises :)
And by weird, I of course mean wonderful.
I preordered your book the moment I moved to England, and about a week ago it arrived. Beautiful book with sweet anecdotes and delicious recipes. I have already made one of the salads, and used another as inspiration for a sandwich. I love it! My only regret is that only a few days after getting the book in the mail, I saw a signed copy in a local bookshop. And I am a sucker for signed copies. Here’s to hoping you will make a book tour in Britain! :)
Looks delicious! I’ll definitely be making this soon. And I ordered my UK/Aus version a couple of days ago, I’m just waiting for it to arrive, I was going to order the US one, but the thought of doing conversions all the time did my head in.
hi Deb,
re: Petra’s comment (#5) and your response (#6), it doesn’t look like you mention using a pie pan in the recipe. I just mention it in case you had some more notes you had meant to add.
Also, this looks amazing and I’ll be trying it tomorrow night!
Ottolenghi wrote a quote for you?! Damn, you’re legit!
This tart sounds heavenly. Caramelized onions are such a treat and with the bubbly cheese on top this is irresistible! Congratulations on the continued book success!
On having cream in the pantry – HOORAY for Trader Joe’s Shelf Stable Heavy Cream in little 8 ounce tetra packs. I buy as many as I can get my hands on and am delighted every time I pull them out of the pantry for a recipe!
Your pictures are always so beautiful. Fantastic recipe.
I just put my order in to Book Depo for the UK / Aus edition! cant wait to get it!
Any thoughts on substituting half-and-half? I always have that around for my tea. I’m sure it would probably be fine, right?
is it obsessive to fly all the way to england to pick up the uk copy of your cookbook? maybe. but i’ve been looking for an excuse to go back…
you make chopping and crying look worth it with this gorgeous onion tart. truth.
That looks delicious; like every other vegetarian recipe you have. It’s hearty, it’s flavorful, and there’s nary a hint of rabbit food in them (heck, I even check the non-vegetarian recipes to see if there’s a slight tweak I can make, or perhaps take a part of it and incorporate it into something I do.)
Oh, and the divine Mexican place you speak of from Salt Lake Airport is Cafe Rio. It’s a chain started in Utah, and most of the franchises are located in the West. However, there are a few that recently opened in VA and MD. Ah-ma-zing!
Thanks, Deb! I figured as much, but thought you might know something we didn’t know as far as availability. Times like these make me wish I had a friend in England to mail me a copy!!!
This looks lovely. A gussied up version of my familie’s “Onion Pie.” Yum, yum. Nice work, Deb.
Please. What is shelf stable cream? I consider cream a staple.
I do so love french onion soup, and I do tend to feel like, even though we do eat it for a meal, it’s never really enough. I can’t wait to try your tart! I really wish I could come to a signing, but we live in South Florida, so not this time around, I guess!
Oh dear, MN is going to get a lot of snow, like we are here in Iowa! Hope travel and book signing plans are not disrupted!
This tart looks fabulous! Perfect for Sunday brunch :)
Oh, Deb. I was in Istanbul when you came to Chicago in November and I was all set to take the bus to/from Minneapolis to see you tomorrow night, but am afraid I will have to cancel the trip due to the big storm that’s forecast for tomorrow. :(
Substituting for cream — Yikes, meant to put this in the recipe but you can totally use half-and-half or even milk, whole is better. All will work. The more fat, the better/smoother/richer the tart will taste.
JC — I saw that there the other day (see? I’m warming to the place…) and thought it was really brilliant. I’d still prefer fresh stuff for most uses, but how great would it be to have that (and shelf-stable milk) as back-up so you didn’t have to run to the store if you were out of what you needed?
LMB — Sorry for the confusion. I mention alternative pans in the recipe’s second paragraph, not the most usual place, I know.
Rachel — I don’t use a CSA because I have the freedom to go to the farmers markets around here (and around here, there’s at least one open in every neighborhood every day of the year) whenever I need something. There are plenty around, though.
Alexis — Oh no! I will just have to come back to Chicago to see you. :)
Simpsons’ clouds!!! That’s what WE call them, too!
I cannot carmelize an onion to save my life–although I LURVE them. I burn them every. single. time. I follow the directions, turn around, and *poof* black onions. :-(
Do I have to babysit them for 30 minutes?? Any tips for an onion burner?
Thanks, Deb. And congratulations on the book!!!
Jules
Deb, I fear my comment is too late to get a response, and it does not relate to the recipe, BUT I’ve noticed over several posts that you and I have the same cookware (All Clad MC2?). Your pans always look so clean and new in your photos, whereas mine are marred with grease and scorch marks on their exteriors. How do you clean your pans?
Also, PLEASE come back to Chicago! I missed you while you were here too!
I can’t wait to try this – it looks delicious. And I am so excited to meet you in Minneapolis tomorrow night! If you need someone to take you for Jucy Lucy’s at Matt’s Bar, I would be happy to volunteer!
I’m another loyal fan who is looking forward to seeing you tomorrow, no matter how deep the snow. My son has asked me to say thank you for the dutch baby recipe. I have to do it now because I’ll be far too nervous tomorrow. Maybe I’ll have the courage to show you the photo of the 3, 5 & 7 year olds taking over the kitchen and taking directions from the cookbook. Thank you so much.
I was wondering what kind of kitchen knife/knives you use and do you recommend it?
Hi Deb, saw you at Quail Corners in Raleigh. Fan girl squeal! I made the gooey cinnamon squares last night. My guys love snicker doodles, but this cake was so much more wonderful and not much more work. I am enjoying working my way through your book.
Deb,
I’m assuming you made it to Minneapolis/St.Paul since you wrote this at 30,000ft.? Why is it that there has to be a big snow storm when I have big plans?! Ugh. I hope the weather will let up by noon so I can still make it in. I’m coming f/Osceola, WI, about an hour drive…I made your Tomato Glazed Meatballs w/the Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes for dinner tonight! It was all so good!!! My Hubby is happy to have leftovers while I’m gone. I’m the Flight Attendant that has been waiting for you to come to MSP and so excited to meet you tomorrow!!! As far as Jucy Lucy’s go, I’ve been to “Matt’s Bar” in Mpls, and I think “The Nook” in St.Paul w/the “Nookie Burger” has them beat by far! It was voted the “Best Burger” in Mpls/St.Paul! If you’re in the mood for the best desserts ever, you have to check out “Cafe Latte” on Grand Ave in St.Paul! Layer cakes, Cheesecakes, Tarts, Cookies, they have it. They are known for their “Turtle Cake” and it is my favorite w/extra caramel sauce! Welcome to Minnesota!
Hi Deb! I loved your talk and Q&A in Atlanta! A bar seemed like an unconventional location for a book signing, but hey, if beer and an entirely-too-large plate of nachos isn’t great, what is? By the way, I did try the blueberry cornmeal cake, and it is every bit as delicious as the boy bait (but without that extra stick of butter). Just wanted to let you know that you were every bit as amusing and adorable in real life as you come across in this blog!
Love this twist on the classic french onion soup! It look delicious!
FashionEdible Blog
Congrats on your success! It must be many sorts of fun to be able to travel and have people worship you like that…
The tart is GORGEOUS!… but I don’t think I need to tell you that ;)
This post made me smile! I’m from Salt Lake City, but saw you in Portland, OR. Where can you possible get good burritos in our airport?! Seriously, now I have to know—-I don’t consider SLC a really “foodie” town…
And the tart looks amazing. Onions are your friend.
This is in the oven as I type. I was planning on making French Onion soup tonight, but this sounded better :) I’ve made the caramelized onion and cauliflower tart several times (wild mushoroom tart from the book is next – so excited!) and I’ve NEVER had a crust that works well. I always have to pick up pieces and mush them together in my pan. It always tastes good, but it is annoying. Any tips on getting the crust to come together better?
I love love love French Onion Soup, So I can imagine I’d love this just as much!
This looks amazing and I can’t wait to eat it all (probably without sharing!).
I SO love quiches and am always looking for new recipes and ingredients combinations! This looks truly awesome and would make for a great lunch to make the day before!
Oh, and I just wanted to let you know that Italy wants an Italian translation of your cookbook!!
xo, Elisa
Ahhhhhhh, this is mildly (read: very) annoying!
I’m in NZ, and didn’t know that you would be releasing a UK/Aus version of your book, so I went ahead and purchased your US one…. kind of wish I’d known before hand so making your awesome recipes could have been easier for me!
Still, a great book
OH MY! I LOVE the uk cookbook cover! I might have to pay uk amazon a visit…
I’m sorry, I’m just really really curious to know which cover do you like more??
This is not a criticism of you or your book in any way, but a message directly to the publisher: I feel manipulated and creeped out when marketers culturally tailor things – in any direction. Referring to the mention of eggplants being re-named aubergines in the aussie manner.
An enormous part of the pleasure and power of bloggers is a direct response to the fact that they inject desperately-needed authenticity into a world choked of life by over-marketing strategies like this one. It is ALL about the authenticity.
How am I supposed to benefit from the beauty of cultural exchange if two people who live under a rock are being coddled because they can’t be bothered to look up eggplant, or aubergine, as the case may be?
Hello Deb, congratulation on the cookbook, I have it here iin my hands and it’s a total delight – and I love the cover. I am such a huge fan of your blog and had pre ordered the cookbook to arrive as soon as it was released here in the UK. There are so many things to try. Love it. Now a book signing in Glasgow on the cards? :D