Kisses for Mother's Day

Ramsey's At The Club http://www.ramseysattheclub.com/served these delectable little goat cheese and onion hors d'oeuvres which they called kisses. Sadly, they are no longer on the menu but still hold a place in all of our hearts. This week's comparison will have to be made from memory.

I used pre-made mini phyllo cups which may have been a mistake but for the amount of time that I had on this busy Mother's Day it seemed like a good idea. In the future, I will use a puff pastry with perhaps a tad more salt and lot more butter. This healthy organic version from Bristol Farms was a reasonable alternative - http://www.fillofactory.com/retailproductdetails.cfm?ProductCode=949.0.

The recipe was fairly simple; I diced (using my chopper, of course) two brown onions and caramelized them in my massive calphalon deep saute pan- I love this pan because of its size...after that burn I got over Christmas I'll never be too careful and, seriously, who doesn't love a jumbo pan?? http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku5177852/index.cfm?pkey=cckwfrysau. I added about a half a cup of water and a quarter cup of balsamic vinegar and let it reduce. Be careful here because if the acidic steam gets up your nose or in your eyes it will sting - you'll never guess how I figured that out... repeatedly.

Using a small spoon, I scooped the caramelized onion into the little phyllo cups and covered it with a mound of mild goat cheese and topped them with a little garnish. I popped them in the oven for a half hour and voila - a puff!

I served these bite sized goodies at our Mothers Day soiree at room temperature and they weren't nearly as good as right out of the oven as they got a little pasty but they did suffice.

Cost Comparison
- 30 homemade kisses - $25.00
- Ramsey's kisses were brought out as complimentary bits of goodness as you were seated but they did accompany a somewhat pricey meal so I am going to consider this one a point for homemade.

Taste Comparison
- Jac - Not quite as good, definitely think there is a dough problem, more butter, more salt, more heat.
- Guest judge consensus - great on their own but not as good as the memory of the Ramsey's kisses.

Next Week - Chateau Marmont's potato crusted halibut. Any guest judge volunteers?