Balsamic Caramelized Onion Danish

There is a bakery in my hometown of Rochester, NY, that makes a caramelized onion and mushroom Danish. I would always buy one on Sunday mornings at my favorite local farmer’s market, because I’ve always preferred savory, not sweet, breakfasts. Having moved FAR away from New York, I haven’t found anything like them in Atlanta, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.

Honey Ridge Farm’s Balsamic Honey Vinegar adds a touch more sweetness and a light honey flavor to the onions. But beware - they are completely addictive! They are also extremely versatile. They would be good on pretty much anything, so even if you’re not into savory breakfasts, you should at least make the onions. Once you taste them, you’ll be glad you did!

Balsamic Caramelized Onion Danish
by Jennifer Scantlin

1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 Tablespoons butter, divided
2 medium onions (baseball-sized), sliced medium
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 Tablespoons Honey Ridge Farms Balsamic Honey Vinegar
1 pint shiitake (or other) mushrooms, sliced
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 sheet puff pastry, store-bought or homemade
1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
Thinly sliced sage leaves, for topping

*Note: The onions will take about an hour to make, so you may want to do that a day (or more) ahead of time. I would recommend doubling the amount in the recipe, because they are delicious and you will want to put them on much more than just the Danish!

Heat olive oil and 2 Tablespoons butter in large pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Turn heat to medium low, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and continue to cook, stirring every 5 minutes or so and scraping up any brown bits that form on the bottom of the pan. You may have to adjust the heat according to your stove - you want the onions to continue to cook, but not burn. They will slowly take on a nice golden brown color (this will take about 45 minutes). When they reach that color, add 1 Tablespoon of the vinegar, stir it in, and continue to cook about 5 more minutes. Add the second tablespoon of vinegar, stir and cook just until the liquid is cooked off. Remove from heat and set aside.

While the onions are cooking, heat the other Tablespoon of butter in a separate pan over medium-high heat until melted. Add mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook just until the mushrooms get some color on them and start to soften, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Mix remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt into ricotta cheese and set aside.

When you are ready to make the Danish, heat your oven to 400°F. Place your puff pastry on a lightly-floured surface, lightly flour the top, and roll out to about 8 x 12 inches. Square off edges with a pastry cutter or knife and cut pastry into eight 3 x 4-inch rectangles. Place pastry squares an inch or two apart onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. You can use 2 baking sheets if needed, top all of the Danish at once, and keep the second sheet in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

Brush an egg wash border onto each of the 4 sides of the pastry, as though you’re painting a “frame” on top of each piece of dough. (This will help brown the edges and is much less messy to do before you add the filling.) Spread about 2 Tablespoons of ricotta onto each piece of pastry, leaving about 1/4-inch border. Top with some caramelized onions and press them lightly into the cheese. Top with mushrooms and press those down lightly as well.

Bake at 400°F until the edges are deep golden brown, about 15-18 minutes. Top with sage leaves and enjoy!