Époisses is silky and sensuous, highly aromatic French cheese with surprisingly mellow flavors. I like to serve it on appetizer-sized, open-faced grilled cheese Époisses toasts. They’re plenty cheesy and very rich so I balance the ooey-gooey texture and meaty flavors with pickled shallots and some sweet and tangy onion jam.
Époisses Toasts with Pickled Shallots and Onion Jam
Print This Recipe Yield 12Source adapted from Michael Lee RafidiPublished
Ingredients
- ½ cup thinly sliced shallots
- 3/4 cup water (divided)
- 3/4 cup red wine vinegar (divided)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (divided)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 large yellow onion (peeled and thinly sliced)
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- freshly cracked black pepper (as needed for seasoning)
- 12 slice baguette (sliced on the bias)
- 1 (8 oz) wheel Époisses cheese (chilled and cut into 12 wedges)
- baby arugula leaves (to taste)
Directions
Make the pickled shallots: Place the sliced shallots in a medium, heat-proof bowl. Place ½ cup water, ½ cup vinegar, ¼ cup sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt in a small, nonreactive saucepan; bring to a boil and remove from heat. Allow the mixture to cool then pour over the shallots. Let sit at least 8 hours at room temperature.
Make the onion jam: Melt the butter in a medium skillet set over medium-low heat. Add the onions and stir to coat. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are deep, golden brown, about 1 hour. Raise the temperature to medium-high and add remaining ¼ cup water and stir, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom. Add remaining ¼ cup vinegar, remaining ¼ cup sugar, soy sauce, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, thyme leaves, and season with a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring often until liquid is reduced and syrupy. Set aside to cool.
Make the Époisses Toasts: Preheat the broiler. Place the baguette slices on a sheet pan in a single layer and lay a chilled cheese wedge on each slice of bread. Broil until the cheese is melted and the edges of the bread are nicely browned.
Quickly move the toasts to a serving plate and top each with a teaspoon or two onion jam, a few leaves baby arugula, and some pickled shallots. Season with black pepper and serve immediately.
