Blue Cheese and Onion Tarte Tatin.

With not much in the way of ingredients in my cupboards at the moment and being too lazy to go to the shops, I was looking around for something quick and easy to make. Now, yesterday, on a re-run of the Great British Bake-Off, they were making tarte tatin. Something I have never made and something I have always liked the look of so, as I had some puff pastry sitting in the fridge waiting to be turned into something delicious, I had a bit of a Eureka moment and thought I might give it a go. As usual, being a bit of a wing-and-a-prayer kinda gal, I didn't follow a recipe, I just kind of made it up as I went along.

I fried 4 chopped onions slowly in some butter with a teaspoon of sugar, a pinch of salt and a splash of Henderson's Relish. (For those who don't know what Henderson's is, it's a delicious sauce that is made in Sheffield and you can read about it in a post I wrote a while back, here). When the onions were soft and turning golden, I tipped them into a rectangular cake tin and I added some blobs of blue cheese in amongst the onions. I then rolled out the pastry and covered the onions and cheese, tucking it in around the edges and I popped it into the oven on about 200 degrees C. 

For those of you who prefer to follow a recipe, I found this delicious looking Delia Smith Tarte Tatin recipe online here, which is kind of similar to what I made. Actually, it's sort-of what I had pictured in my head when I decided to make the tarte and maybe I might try it again and follow the recipe next time.

This was my attempt and very delicious it was too, although next time I might try a cheese that is a little less strong. 

Henderson's Relish - A Taste of My Northern Roots.

Although I live in Cornwall now, I was actually born and brought up in Sheffield. I have lived in quite a few places in the UK but about 13ish years ago (I can't even remember exactly how long ago!), I finally settled here in Cornwall. Now, those of you who live in the Yorkshire area will probably have heard of Henderson's Relish. It's a delicious sauce type thing that's a bit like Worcestershire sauce but soooo much nicer and has been made in Sheffield, initially by a Mr Henry Henderson, since the latter part of the 19th century. It's one of the things I miss about Sheffield because you can't buy it down here in Cornwall. Whenever I get the chance, I stock up but the last time I was in Sheffield, I didn't get around to getting any so when a friend who lives in Sheffield found several spare bottles in her cupboard that she had bought "just-in-case" and offered to send some of them my way I jumped at the chance.

It arrived this morning ........

It has a spicy deliciousness that enhances things like chilli or spaghetti bolognese, it helps to make a fabulously tasty gravy in a steak and kidney pie and it's equally fabulous splashed on a full fried breakfast....... drool ...... I can't wait to get cooking.

Here are some lovely pictures of Sheffield.