The Creamy Foundations: Polenta, The Essential Base For These Alpine Tapas

The success of these Savoyard tapas relies on a precise culinary technique that transforms traditional polenta into a modern base. The process begins with a quick boil: 25 cl of water and 25 cl of milk, with a pinch of coarse salt, brought to maximum temperature. Adding 125 g of polenta in a fine rain requires special attention: the express cooking of 2 to 3 minutes, under constant stirring, must maintain a deliberately semi-liquid texture.

This fluid consistency is the secret to perfect unmolding. The preparation then goes into small silicone muffin molds to begin a strategic two-stage cooling: one hour in the refrigerator, followed by two hours in the freezer. This double exposure to cold solidifies the structure without dehydrating the polenta.

The unmolding reveals firm and regular discs. The final trick comes before cooking: each disc is rolled in the remaining 10 g of polenta, creating a shell that guarantees crispness. Arranged on a tray covered with baking paper, they go into an oven preheated to 180°C for ten minutes of transformation. The dry heat crystallizes the exterior while the heart retains its creamy smoothness, creating that contrast of textures that distinguishes an ordinary base from a gastronomic support worthy of carrying the alpine flavors to come.

Sweet-Salty Alchemy: When Onion Meets Mountain Honey

While the polenta discs were browning in the oven, the preparation of the caramelized onions orchestrated the first aromatic transformation. The yellow onion, finely sliced, joined a pan where 10 g of butter was melting over medium heat. Five minutes of cooking were enough to transform the translucent strips into golden ribbons, their initial pungency gradually softening under the action of controlled heat.

The addition of a teaspoon of Terre de l’Alpe mountain honey then triggered the true alchemy. The natural sugar of the honey, meeting the sulfur compounds of the onion, created that signature caramelization that distinguishes a banal condiment from a gastronomic garnish. Cooking continued for a few more minutes, until the mixture adopted that characteristic confit texture, neither too liquid nor too thick.

This preparation was not a simple accompaniment: it embodied the Savoyard signature of these tapas. Mountain honey, an emblematic product of the Alps, brought a complex floral sweetness that contrasted with the pronounced character of the onion. This sweet-salty layer formed the perfect bed to welcome the powerful flavors of the cheese to come, creating a taste balance where each element interacted without ever dominating.

The Winning Trio: Amber Pear And Bleu De Bonneval In The Spotlight

While the confit onions were finishing their transformation, a second pan welcomed the remaining 10 g of butter to orchestrate the preparation of the Conference pear. Peeled and cut into thick pieces, the fruit joined the melted fat with a promising sizzle. Cooking over medium heat gradually revealed that characteristic amber coloring, the signature of a successful caramelization where the fruit’s natural sugars concentrated without burning.

These generous pieces guaranteed a double performance: a firm texture maintaining the structure of the bite, and a fruity melt contrasting with the crunch of the polenta. The Conference pear, a variety chosen for its dense and slightly grainy flesh, resisted the heat perfectly while developing intensified sweet notes.

The introduction of 80 grams of Bleu de Bonneval completed this fruit-cheese duo at the heart of the recipe. This cheese of character, a Savoyard blue-veined product, brought the aromatic power necessary to balance the sweetness of the other components. Its full-bodied intensity, tempered by the buttery melt of the pan-seared pear and the honeyed smoothness of the onions, created that taste harmony where no element masked the other.

This pear-blue cheese association, a classic revisited in a Savoyard version, now formed the beating heart of each tapas, ready to crown the golden polenta discs.

The Final Assembly: Architecture Of A Perfect Savoyard Bite

The three cooled components now awaited their union on the polenta discs out of the oven, still warm and crispy. The construction began with a first layer of caramelized onions, deposited in a measured quantity to cover the golden surface without overflowing. This melting layer formed the aromatic bed on which the whole would rest.

A piece of Bleu de Bonneval then completed the structure, positioned in the center to uniformly distribute its cheesy power. The residual heat from the polenta began subtly to soften the edges of the cheese, creating that sought-after semi-melting texture. The top floor welcomed a piece of pan-seared pear, whose amber firmness crowned the construction.

Each tapas then received its wooden pick, passing vertically through the three layers to maintain structural cohesion. This assembly allowed for a tasting in one complete bite, where each element simultaneously released its contribution: the cereal crunch of the base, the sweet-salty smoothness of the onions, the characterful strength of the Savoyard blue, the fruity melt of the pear.

The initial 135 grams of polenta thus generated a dozen bites for four guests, an ideal balance between mountain generosity and contemporary refinement. This recipe signed by Manon and Sandrine for Sherpa transformed authentic alpine products into modern tapas, ready to reveal their Savoyard harmony from the first taste.