Blue Cheese + Walnut Crackers & Warm Apples + Smoky Shallots

I was asked recently to cater a party, and I just might do it. The invitation got me thinking: what kind of party food would I serve if I were to accept the challenge? A million thoughts flooded my brain. I could do empanadas, tarts, sliders, stuffed mushrooms, or I could do little shots of soup, sushi, spring rolls, 10 kinds of hummus. Once I was able to calm down, I decided to take it one dish at a time.

I remembered these blue cheese and walnut crackers I had made years ago. The richness of the blue cheese is wonderful. But what do you put on a cracker that already has cheese in it? I always love the combination of apples, walnuts and blue cheese, so I decided to experiment a little. I love how these came out. Here is how I topped my homemade crackers.

Warm Apple and Smoky Shallots

1 pink lady apple (peeled, small dice)

drizzle of olive oil

drizzle of champagne vinegar

pinch of brown sugar

pinch of salt

1 large shallot (thinly sliced)

1/4 cup white wine

pinch of smoked salt

black pepper

fresh thyme

Mix the first five ingredients together and set aside. Sauté the shallot in a teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat until it starts to brown. Add the wine, salt, and pepper. Reduce mixture until all liquid has evaporated. Toss apples into the pan with the onions until warmed through. Top each cracker with a spoonful of the mixture. (A little thyme makes a nice garnish.)