Bleu Cheese and Steak Crostini with Blueberry and Caramelized Onion Jam

If you like bruschetta, you’ll love our Bleu Cheese and Steak Crostini with Blueberry and Caramelized Onion Jam recipe. This two-part recipe is easily altered for seasonal freshness or for utilizing your favorite berries and cheeses.

In the heat of summer enjoy fresh Blueberries and strawberries and in the wilds of winter give figs a try for the perfect jams. Bleu cheese too smokey for you? Give Feta, Goat Cheese, or Gorgonzola a try. These cheese alternatives have a salty profile like Bleu Cheese that compliments and balances the sweetness of the jam. With so many variations you’ll want to enjoy this Bleu Cheese and Steak Crostini with Blueberry and Caramelized Onion Jam recipe on the regular!

Ingredients

Blueberry and Caramelized Red Onion Jam

1 Tbsp                  Olive Oil

Medium Red Onion Dices (about 2 cups)

1/2 tsp                 Kosher Salt

1/4 tsp                 Freshly Ground Pepper

2 C                        Blueberries

2 Tbsp                  Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 C                    Honey

2 Tbsp                  Brown Sugar

1/4 C                    Red Wine

1 tsp                     Lemon Juice

Several sprigs of fresh Thyme

Crostini

1                            Baguette or Long Italian or French Loaf not too crusty

1/4 C                    Olive Oil

Salt to taste

Steak

1 Lb                      Flank Steak

1 Tbsp                  Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation

Blueberry and Caramelized Red Onion Jam

1. In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, salt and pepper, and thyme, and reduce to medium/low heat. Cook for 30 – 35 minutes or until caramelized, stirring occasionally.
2. Add Blueberries or other favorite berries, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, and red wine, and cook until berries are enlarged and about to burst and liquid is reduced. This process takes about 5-10 minutes.
3. Add lemon juice and stir while smashing berries. Remove thyme stems. It may seem that your mixture is a bit syrupy but don’t worry, it will thicken up in the next step.
4. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Spoon into a clean jar and let cool completely for at least one hour in the refrigerator. You can also create the jam a few days in advance.
5. Enjoy your jam masterpiece on top of steak crostini in part two or give it a try on burgers.

Crostini

1. Slice bread into 1/3-1/2- inch slices and arrange on a sheet pan. Brush slices with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.
2. In a preheated oven at 375°F, bake for 7-10 minutes, or until crispy on top. Your slices may not brown and that is okay. Don’t continue to bake bread slices until they appear brown, they will end up too crunchy. If the brown appearance is important to you, place your slices under the broiler for 2-4 minutes instead of baking in the oven. The broiler will give you more of that browning appearance.
3. Set aside crostini
4. Turn oven to broiler setting and set the top rack 4-6 inches away from the heating element.
5. Pat steak dry with paper towels.
6. Then drizzle olive oil on both sides of steak and rub in gently. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
7. Place steak on a sheet pan and cook under the broiler for about 5 minutes per side, achieving medium rare temperature.
8. Let the steak rest for another 5 minutes so it will stay juicy when you slice it.
9. Slice as thinly as possible against the grain.
10. Spread Blueberry and Caramelized Red Onion Jam from part 1 onto the crostini.
11. Top crostini pieces with sever (2-3) slices of steak, folded and draped decoratively.
12. Then add a couple Bleu cheese crumbles and a pinch of microgreens.

Which combo did you decide to try? Is it as delicious as we know it is? Try more of our recipes and be sure to come experience the divine skills of our chefs at Timbers, The Buffet, Kankakee Grille, Edgewater Café, and Copper Rock Steakhouse.