Hello from Deutschland!!!  We’re currently in Frankfurt, Germany visiting Stephan’s family.  The temperatures have been up in the high 90′s for weeks in South Florida, so this is perfect timing to leave for a few weeks!  I haven’t been cooking since I got here as my mother in law is a fantastic cook, but this is a little something I made before I left for vacation.  We’ll be off to Prague, Vienna and Munich next week and I plan on blogging the good eats we find along the way!

So… on to the tasty treat.  Although this looks like a sweet treat, it is not.  This cookie has one of my favorite savory ingredients… caramelized onion.  There’s something magical that happens when you cook boring old onions in a little bit of butter.  It turns into a sweet and caramel colored delicacy.  You do have to be patient… very patient when caramelizing onion, though.  Expect to spend the better part of an hour if you want perfectly caramelized onions.  If you try to rush it, you’ll end up with a bitter tasting end result. Believe me… been there, done that!

Caramelized Onion Palmier Recipe
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 sweet onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 to 2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 sheet of store bought puff pastry, thawed
2 tbsp cornmeal
salt
pepper

1. Heat the butter in a saute pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, stirring often until they just start to color.  Reduce the heat to medium low and continue cooking, stirring often until brown and caramelized.  Be careful not to burn.  Add the garlic and stir around for one minute.  Remove from the heat and add the cheese and thyme and stir until the cheese melts.

2. Scrape the onion mixture into a food processor bowl. Pulse a few time to roughly chop the onion mixture.  Do not completely puree, you still want some small chunks.  Or you can chop by hand if you don’t have a food processor.  Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.  Let cool completely.

3. Sprinkle your clean surface with cornmeal.  Place the thawed puff pastry on the cornmeal dusted surface and sprinkle the top with a little more cornmeal.  Roll the sheet of puff pastry into a rectangle, just slightly thinner than it was originally.  Be careful that it does not stick.  Spread the onion mixture on the puff pastry, leaving about 1 inch around the edges.

4. Start rolling one of the short edges towards the middle.  Then roll the opposite edge to meet up in the middle.  This will make a log shape.  Brush a little water in the center where the two rolled halves meet.  Turn the log onto its side and press down slightly so the halves stick together.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to firm up.  This makes it much easier to cut.

5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Remove the log from the freezer and slice into 1/4 inch disks.  Place the cut side down on a parchment covered sheet pan.  Bake for about 20 minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown and cooked through.  Best served warm, but also good at room temperature.

Makes about 20 palmiers, 4-6 servings as an appetizer.