Red onions and shallots are particularly well suited to rapid baking as they will not lose any of their flavour or crispness.
ingredients
serves: 4
2 small red onions
4 large shallots
9 ounce ready-made puff pastry (pastry for 1 crust pie)
1 medium egg
12 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper
For the salad:
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1 cup watercress
1/4 cup walnut pieces
1/3 cup Stilton cheese
3 tablespoons whipping cream
1 tablespoon walnut oil
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
method
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Peel the red onions and thinly slice them, then peel and quarter the shallots. Set them both aside.
2. Lightly flour a work surface, then cut the pastry in half and roll out each piece to a rectangle of about 30 x 15 cm (12 x 6 in). Cut two large rounds from each, using a 13-15 cm (5-6 in) diameter saucer as a template, and place the rounds on a large baking sheet.
3. Beat the egg lightly and brush it over the pastry rounds, taking care not to let it trickle over the edges.
4. Pile a quarter of the onions and shallots in the centre of each round, leaving a border of 3/4 inch all round. Rinse and dry the thyme and tuck three sprigs on top of each pile.
5. Brush the onions and shallots lightly with the olive oil and season them to taste with salt and black pepper. Put the pastries into the oven and bake them for 20 minutes, or until they are puffed up and golden brown.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the salad. Rinse, dry and trim the spinach leaves and watercress and put both into a salad bowl. Roughly chop the walnut pieces and add them to the salad leaves.
7. Remove the rind from the Stilton and put the cheese into a small bowl. Pour in the whipping cream and mash the two together (see box, above). Then beat in the walnut oil and sherry vinegar and season to taste with black pepper (the Stilton will add enough salty flavour). Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently
8. When the pastries are cooked, serve them on individual plates, accompanied by the dressed salad.
more information
If you prefer a milder flavour, you can replace the Stilton with either Saint Agur or Dolcelatte cheese.
Using a stout wooden spoon makes it an easy job to mash the Stilton cheese and cream together when you are preparing the salad dressing.
