Do you ever get a craving for something completely non-specific? I know it sounds strange. Generally if you have a craving you’ve zeroed in on that craving like a heat-seeking missile.
I’m craving pizza.
I’m craving ice cream.
Those are specific and singular, so pretty easy to satisfy. My craving was more like, I’m craving something salty, sweet, crispy, fresh, and savory. Gee… could I be any more vague? All week I had this craving. I kept trying to satisfy it by eating numerous foods in succession – what resulted was some serious binge eating. I was eating everything in sight just trying to satisfy this one non-specific craving! Does that ever happen to you? Seriously, I think I gained 5 pound last week.
I finally started thinking smarter instead of binging harder. Instead of trying to appease the craving gods with copious offerings of food, I decided to make one dish that encompassed it all.
Rustic bread pan-toasted to a golden-brown crispiness. Topped with an herbaceous mayo, sweet caramelized onions, salty bacon, fresh frisée, and crowned with nutty parmesan. Finally! This is exactly what I needed to tame the belly beast.
So if you ever have a non-specific craving, craving everything under the sun, or just want a really awesome crostini – this is your guy.
- Caramelized Onions:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 medium yellow onions, halved and sliced ⅛-inch thick
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- Green Herb Mayo:
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained
- ¼ cup fresh dill, tightly packed with stems removed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, packed with stems removed
- 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves
- 1 cup good quality mayonnaise, preferably homemade
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- Crostini:
- 1 pound of bacon
- 1 loaf rustic bread, sliced ½ inch thick
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup frisée
- 4 ounces parmesan, shaved (you can use a vegetable peeler for this)
- To make the caramelized onions, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally. Cook for 35 - 40 minutes until soft and caramelized. Add the balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss and set aside.
- While the onions are caramelizing, make the Green Herb Mayo. Place the ingredients for the Green Herb Mayo into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Add the bacon to a cold pan and heat over medium heat. Turning occasionally, cook to your desired crispiness. Once cooled, roughly chop and set aside.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Butter each side of the bread and toast until golden-brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- To assemble the crostini - spread the Green Herb Mayo on one side of the toast. Top with the caramelized onions, chopped bacon, frisée, and shaved parmesan. Serve and enjoy!
Caramelized onions AND bacon? Oh hells ya!!
Right?! I could honestly be happy with just those two for quite some time 🙂
It is soooo frustrating when I’m craving something but nothing I eat satisfies me. On the other hand, these crostini could solve any craving dilemma and then some. All my favorite flavors together too! I’m going to make these to serve with butternut squash soup for dinner, like little open faced sandwiches. YUM!!
Ooo… coupled with a butternut squash soup sounds absolutely wonderful! I hope you enjoy!
Btw, my stomach literally growled thinking about the two together 🙂
Oh my gosh, this sounds so good. Caramelized onion + bacon is basically one of the best combinations ever!
I totally agree! I kept snacking on the caramelized onions and bacon – I was afraid I might run out before I photographed them 😉
Oh gosh this sounds good Kathleen! The capers sealed the deal!!
I’m a big fan of capers as well! Sometimes I just snack on them as is 😉
These look so lovely! What a perfect appetizer to serve for a dinner party!
Thanks, Jessica. With all the holidays coming up before we know it – I thought they would make for good apps as well 🙂
I totally know what you mean! You know the salty, sweet, crispy, fresh, and savory craving you get? My fix is Asian food. It hits all those notes!
As does this crostini. I agree. I am yet to meet a crostini I didn’t love. Sharing!!
Aw yes, that’s another good one! Which is why I’m almost always craving Asian food 😉
OMG! Honey! These are glorious!!! Just look at that crispy toast!!! Aghhh this will definitely solve any craving problems!!! Just delish looking! And so elegant looking! I just may have to make these for the party I have coming up this week. Beautiful!
Thank you so much sweetie! I hope your guests love them as much as it do.
Yum! This sounds really delicious and I LOVE how you made the herb mayo!
Thanks so much, Sabrina! Try the herb may on your sandwiches – it adds a nice zip 🙂
These crostini look delicious! Love the flavours – carmelised onions and bacon is a great flavour pairing! These would make a great appetiser! 😀
Thanks, Jess! All those flavors and textures certainly hit the spot. Hope you have a great weekend!
Love the combination in these! They look perfect! Pinned!
Thanks, Mira! Hope you have a lovely weekend 🙂
Omg this is my guy EVERYDAY! I could eat this 5 times a day. I am in love with all the flavors here and the ingredients used. This sounds like such a dream. I have totally been there where I’m craving I-don’t-know-what. I can’t wait to make this! 😀
I’m so glad you like all the flavors in this dish! Shall your belly beast be tamed when you eat these. Happy Friday 🙂
OMG, I kid you not, that has been happening to me at night! Like I keep eating random things and saying, “I’m not really hungry, but I have a craving for something… but I don’t know what I want.” So I just eat one random thing after another until I’ve preeeetttty much devoured the entire fridge and pantry. AND I’m still not satisfied. We got problems girlfriend! Lol. These crostini sound and look perfect for those moments.. you know those DAILY moments!! Love the wide variety of textures and flavors! Yum to the YUMYUM! I’ve got to make this to tame my belly beast!! Pinned! Cheers, lovely! XO
Oh, those are daily moments for me too! I hope this helps to curb some of those non-specific craving 😉
HAHA! I was craving for chocolate yesterday while shopping for grocery. What happened? I bought chocolate ice cream and chocolate snacks. Then I got home and finished the bag of chocolate snack. Oops…
You are very smart to create this crostini to satisfy all the cravings at once! If not, it is really troubling! 😉 Love you combined the sweet caramelized onion and the salty bacon together! I will have to make this for Bryan! He LOVES bacon!
Ha! I did that with donuts the other day! I bought a box of donuts and ate ALL of them! Guess I’ll be doing little more cardio this week 😉
I hope you and Bryan enjoy these! Bacon makes everything better, does it?
This crostini is my guy! Okay, we’ve solved the first problem: What to eat. How about the second problem: When to stop eating?! These flavors equal heaven in my book! Delicioso!
Annie, you sound like me. I have no off button when it comes to some foods. Hope you and your family have a wonderful weekend 🙂
This is such a beauty, Kathleen. I am so much in love with these droolicious crostini. So damn delicious and gorgeous off course! 🙂
Thanks, Anu. I never met a crostini I didn’t like 😉 I hope you have a great weekend!