Onion Parmesan Toasts

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've been out of sync with the world this week. It continues to move at a mazurka pace while I'm definitely in minuet mode. Worse yet, the goodies assembled for the holiday are nearly gone and we still have well-wishers stopping by for holiday visits. While I don't want to bake more cookies, I do want to have something to offer guests who come to call, so I pulled out some recipes for casual savories that I think will do as well. I've included these toasts because they are very easy to do and the various elements needed to make them can be done ahead of time and then assembled just before serving. This is a decades old recipe that has been retired several times, but the folks at Gourmet magazine refused to let it die, and, after brief periods of rest, kept bringing it back for yet another generation of cooks to enjoy. It's hard to believe that four ingredients can make such delicious mouthfuls. I was among the doubters when I first read the recipe, but thought enough of the person who recommended it to me to give it a try. I'm so glad I did that. This is a straightforward recipe and chances are you have everything you need to make it in your pantry and refrigerator. If you don't have cocktail bread, quarter slices of what you do have and use that instead. While I prefer these made with sweet onions, yellow onions can be used in a pinch. Simply soak the chopped onions in cold water for 15 minutes and then drain and pat them dry. It is best to assemble these just before they are broiled to prevent the toasts from becoming soggy. You can also use a toaster oven, which I actually prefer, to broil them. They should be served warm. I do hope you'll give these a try. They are a perfect small plate dish and I think you'll enjoy them. Here's the recipe.

Onion Parmesan Toasts...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of The Gourmet Cookbook

Ingredients:

3/4 cup chopped sweet onion such as Vidalia or Walla Walla

1/2 cup mayonnaise

14 slices party (cocktail) rye or pumpernickel bread

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

1) Preheat broiler.

2) Stir together onion and mayonnaise.

3) Arrange bread slices in one layer on a baking sheet and broil 6 inches from heat, turning once, until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes per side until lightly toasted (watch carefully). Remove from oven and turn toasts over.

4) Spread evenly with onion mixture and sprinkle with cheese and freshly ground pepper.

5) Broil until topping is bubbling and lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes (watch carefully to prevent burning). Serve warm. Yield: 14 hors d'oeuvres.