Cheesy crowd pleaser! Chef Jon Shook whips up his melted P’tit Basque nightly at Los Angeles restaurant Animal, and tells Luxury Handbag Shopping the appetizer couldn’t be easier to serve at home, making it an ideal choice for entertaining.
“This dish can be prebuilt before your guests arrive, and allows you to spend more time as a host instead of in the kitchen,” explains Shook, who expects to open his fourth restaurant, Jon and Vinny’s, with partner Vinny Dotolo later this year. Next time you’re planning a holiday party menu, add this app to the mix.
Melted P’Tit Basque
Place two 2-quart pots over medium heat. In one pot, put 1 tablespoon canola oil and three cups of small diced onions, with a pinch of salt, stirring constantly, until caramelized. Remove from heat and chill and reserve.
In the other pot, add three cups of small diced leeks, a pinch of salt, and 1.5 cup of white wine. Burn off alcohol for 30 seconds. Turn heat down to low. Put a lid on it, cook for approximately 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Chill it down.
In a small baking dish, add a (2 Tbsp) layer of caramelized onions, a (1 Tbsp) layer of leeks, a layer of 10 thin slices of Spanish chorizo. The bottom of the dish should be coated with the onion and leeks. Top with one wheel of p’tit basque and bake in the oven at 450 degrees until bubbling (approximately 8 to 9 minutes). When bubbly, flash in the broiler, until cheese offers a golden brown top.
Serve with an olive-oiled and grilled sourdough baguette.
