Pear and Blue Cheese Tarts

If already made, measure out approximately 4 tablespoons of caramelized onions and set aside. If you don't have any on hand, follow the recipe for Caramelized Onions. This recipe makes quite a bit, but the leftovers are great on pizza and for things like the Alsatian Tart or the Tapas Style Pork Tenderloin.

Follow the recipe for Poached Pears. Cut the recipe in half, if desired, as you will only need 2 pears for this Pear and Blue Cheese Tart.

Once the poached pears have cooled, thinly slice them horizontally, about 1/8" -inch thick.

First preheat your oven to 325° F (165° C). Crumble or break apart the blue cheese. Measure out the butter and Dijon and set everything aside.

Puff pastry needs to be kept as cold as possible before baking. As you are rolling out the dough, if it starts to warm up, return it to the refrigerator to chill. Roll out the puff pastry into 4 rectangles (about 1/4" -inch thick) and large enough to accommodate the size of each pear. Place the sheets of pastry onto a baking sheet and into the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the tarts.

To assemble the tarts, remove the tray of puff from the refrigerator. Transfer the sheets of puff to a room temperature tray. This will help the heat to reach the pastry faster (rather than having to penetrate the cold tray first). Spread about 1 teaspoon of Dijon onto the surface of each rectangle (leaving a clean border about 1/2" -inch or so wide). Divide the blue cheese among the four tarts and spread out evenly. Place the caramelized onions over top. Place a pear on top, fanning it out slightly. Finally, add a few dabs of butter over top each pear.

Transfer the tray immediately into the preheated oven. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the puff is cooked through and golden and the cheese is bubbling along the sides.

While the tarts are baking, make the vinaigrette. Finely mince the shallot and then place all of the ingredients (shallots through olive oil) into a small jar. Shake to emulsify. Wash and spin dry the greens. Just before serving the tarts, toss the salad with some of the vinaigrette, to taste. Any leftover vinaigrette can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

Once the pastry is cooked through and golden brown, remove the tarts from the oven. Let sit for a couple of minutes to cool slightly. Transfer the tarts to serving plates. Just before serving, toss the salad with the vinaigrette. Divide the salad among the four plates and serve immediately.