Tiny Mushroom and Onion Marmalade Tarts

Preheat the oven to 200 C/400 F.

Heat the olive oil in a wide heavy bottomed frying pan over medium low flame. When oil is hot add the onions in a single layer and fry the onions gently until they start to colour. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the sugar.

Once the onions start to turn golden add the first amount of butter and once it’s melted add the mushrooms and thyme. Fry gently until mushrooms are soft and have released their moisture. They will reduce down quite a fair amount. Stir in the parsley and garlic and cook for an additional minute. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the top, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Remove from heat.

Use a 3-inch cookie or biscuit cutter to cut out two 3 inch circles from each slice of bread. If the slices aren’t big enough, roll over them a couple of times with a rolling pin.

Brush one side of each circle of bread with melted butter and place it buttered side down in a mince pie or muffin tin. Press it into the pan—I use the end of a rolling pin to do this but anything small and flat will work (even the bottom of a small jar or glass, for instance).

Divide the mushroom mixture evenly between the bases—approximately 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons of filling per tart. Top with the grated Gruyere cheese. (They can be made ahead to this point, if you prefer to freeze them.)

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Remove from the tin and place on a paper towel to absorb any excess butter. The buttered bottoms lend themselves to slipping out very easily from the tins. Serve warm as a canapé or as part of a tapas style first course.

Adapted from a recipe by Celia Brooks Brown for the Independent Magazine.