What's a girl to do when the clock strikes the one o'clock hour on a Sunday afternoon and there is nada fixed for lunch and the kids will be back form the pool any minute now, more ravenous than ever?
Raid the refrigerator of course and pray for inspiration! And since the empty shelves of my refrigerator are staring me in the face, talk about budget food at it's best!
My gray cells are obviously firing away as I try to assimilate some remnants of a meal as my eyes were furiously scanning the meagre contents inside, the door perched open with my foot and hands pulling out whatever is in the way.
First I pulled out the bagels - my kids do love bagels and then I see one lonesome red potato with more 'eyes' than an alien in a star wars film (which meant it had to be used up), some chives and thyme at the bottom of the crisper, followed by an almost used up carton of sour cream, an itty bitty wedge of goat cheese and some fresh garlic.
Now though I don't really have a plan per se, is but I figure as long as I add some caramelized red onions, the sucker's gotta taste good! I mean let's face it ....caramelized onions have saved the day more times than I care to remember!
So here goes, toasted bagels, topped with some yummy sauteed onions, topped with roasted red potatoes tossed in with some olive oil and thyme then grilled and served with some sour cream, goat cheese & chives crème fraîche type deal.
What say you? I say yes! yes! yes!
Before beginning preparation on any of the other ingredients bring a small saucepan of water to boil.
While the water comes to an angry boil, prepare the remaining ingredients -
Onions - Peel, discard skin & ends. Quarter and then slice into thin 1/4 circles. Set aside.
Garlic - Peel, discard skin. Slice and set aside.
Thyme - Pull leaves from stalk. Chop leaves and set aside.
Chives - Chop & set aside. I find using kitchen shears easier to using a cutting board.
Faux crème fraîche -
In a bowl, add the sour cream, goat cheese. Stir to break up the big bits of goat cheese as best you can. Add the chopped chives & stir. Set aside in the refrigerator to chill.
Potato - Cut away any eyes or brown spots on the potato. Rinse & drop the potato in the boiling water. Reduce heat to low. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and cook for 10 minutes.
Drop the cooked potato into some cold tap water and once it is cool enough to handle, place on a mandolin.
Using the (in my case the thickest 3.0) setting on the mandolin cut the potato into about 1/8" thick slices (slices are a little thinner in reality).
Place in a bowl. Drizzle 2 tbs olive oil, chopped thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Toss and set aside.
On medium heat add the olive oil to the pan. Add the butter. As soon as the butter melts add the garlic & the thinly sliced onions. Saute for about 15 minutes on until the onions are soft and slightly brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat the oven to broil.
Bagels - Separate the bagels into halves. Toast the bagels in a toaster on the bagel setting or in a toaster oven till lightly brown.
Place the bagels on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, apply the olive oil over the bagel halves.
Assembly -
Evenly distribute the cooked onions over the bagels. Arrange the potato slices overlapping if needed on the bagels. Drizzle with 1/2 tsp olive oil per bagel.
Place the baking tray under the broiler in the broiler pan if you have a gas stove for about 5 minutes or until the potatoes are sizzling and slightly brown.
If using an electric oven broil in the main oven for 10 minutes or so until the potatoes are sizzling and slightly brown.
The bagels will also turn a nice golden brown. Do not allow the bagels to burn waiting for the potatoes to brown!
Arrange on a platter and top with dollops of the faux Goat Cheese Creme Fraîche. Serve immediately.
The sweetness of the onions works very well with the herb infused flavors of the potato. The garlic of course is wonderful with all the elements in this dish. I think it would be equally wonderful with rosemary though the thyme added a delicate flavor while I think if substituted with rosemary, would lend a more robust flavor.
The potato was just right - soft but not mushy. The bagel is crunchy and goes well this softer textures of the topping and provides a neutral backdrop to the myriad flavors working in the toppings.
The tart flavor of the goat cheese against the smooth creamy base of the sour cream and the delicate flavor of chives is the perfect finish!
Recipe for
Bagel Pizzas with Caramelized onions, Roasted Potatoes & Herbs topped with a faux Goat Cheese Creme Fraîche
Preparation time - 30 minutes
Baking Time - 8 minutes
Serves 2 for a meal or 4 for appetizers or a snack
Shopping list
2 plain or whole wheat bagels
1 large Spanish red onion
1/3 cup sour cream
1 large red potato
2 cloves garlic
2 tbs fresh goat cheese
Chives to yield 1/2 tbs chopped
2-1/2 tbs olive oil
1-1/2 tbs butter
2 tsp olive oil for drizzling
Olive oil for basting bagels
Thyme leaves to yield 1/2 tbs chopped
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black ground pepper
Preparation -
Onions - Peel, discard skin & ends. Quarter and then slice into thin 1/4 circles. Set aside.
Garlic - Peel, discard skin. Slice and set aside.
Thyme - Pull leaves from stalk. Chop leaves and set aside.
Chives - Chop & set aside. I find using kitchen shears easier to using a cutting board.
Faux crème fraîche -
In a bowl, add the sour cream, goat cheese. Stir to break up the big bits of goat cheese as best you can. Add the chopped chives & stir. Set aside in the refrigerator to chill.
Cooking Method -
Preheat the oven to broil.
Potato - Cut away any eyes or brown spots on the potato. Rinse & drop the potato in the boiling water. Reduce heat to low. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and cook for 10 minutes.
Drop the cooked potato into some cold tap water and once it is cool enough to handle, place on a mandolin.
Using the (in my case the thickest 3.0) setting on the mandolin cut the potato into about 1/8" thick slices (slices are a little thinner in reality).
Place in a bowl. Drizzle 2 tbs olive oil, chopped thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Toss and set aside.
On medium heat add the olive oil to the pan. Add the butter. As soon as the butter melts add the garlic & the thinly sliced onions. Saute for about 15 minutes on until the onions are soft and slightly brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
Bagels - Separate the bagels into halves. Toast the bagels in a toaster on the bagel setting or in a toaster oven till lightly brown.
Place the bagels on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, apply the olive oil over the bagel halves.
Assembly -
Evenly distribute the cooked onions over the bagels. Arrange the potato slices overlapping if needed on the bagels. Drizzle with 1/2 tsp olive oil per bagel.
Baking Method -
Place the baking tray under the broiler in the broiler pan if you have a gas stove for about 5 minutes or until the potatoes are sizzling and slightly brown.
If using an electric oven broil in the main oven for 10 minutes or so until the potatoes are sizzling and slightly brown.
The bagels will also turn a nice golden brown. Do not allow the bagels to burn waiting for the potatoes to brown!
Arrange on a platter and top with dollops of the faux Goat Cheese Creme Fraîche. Serve Immediately.
Enjoy!
