Tartine in Languedoc

Tartine en Languedoc with red onion and red wine

Rue Traversette's Tartine en Languedoc is a vegan spread made from 51 percent red onions, accompanied by red wine, roasted almonds, and raisins. Sweet and savory like an onion confit, it is named after the region where Stéphane has his cannery.

Tartine en Languedoc by Rue Traversette is a vegan spread made from sweet red onions, tomato, and turnip, refined with 10 percent red wine, roasted almonds, raisins, and herbs. "En Languedoc" means "in the Languedoc," the region between the sea and the mountains where Rue Traversette itself is at home. A sweet and savory confit reminiscent of onion jam, only heartier, with red wine as a dark base note.

Sweet onion, red wine, and roasted almond

Tartine en Languedoc smells of braised onion and red wine, with the warm note of roasted almonds and the sweetness of raisins. The color is a deep wine-red, and the texture is soft with a few almond pieces that provide a nice crunch.

On bread, you first taste the soft sweetness of the red onion, then the red wine comes through with its depth, before tarragon, thyme, and bay leaf provide a savory counterpoint. Sweet, savory, velvety, with the crunch of roasted almonds for contrast. The raisins add a subtle fruit sweetness underneath, keeping the whole thing hearty rather than sticky. A confit that leaves you wanting more.

For cheese, for meat, and on bread

As a vegan spread, Tartine en Languedoc joins our vegetable spreads and creams and is the classic companion to cheese, whether on a board, in a sandwich, or on a raclette plate.

The confit plays out its sweetness when paired with a bold mountain cheese or aged goat cheese; on a burger, it replaces ketchup and fried onions in one go. A spoonful added to roasted meat, pasta, or a sauce brings depth. Alongside the aubergine cream, it is the sweet counterpoint on the board.

When you have guests, place a spoonful on a cheese platter or with a terrine, and a small snack becomes a little feast. It also goes well with roasted pumpkin or fried mushrooms, and it is magnificent on a tarte flambée with goat cheese—savory, fruity, and hearty all at once.

A spread from the home region

Unlike its sisters, Tartine en Languedoc stays at home: Rue Traversette is located in Saint-André-de-Sangonis in the heart of the Languedoc, where Stéphane Strobl has been preserving food since 2005, just a few kilometers from the vineyards whose grapes end up in the spread.

Everything that makes up this spread grows between the sea at Marseillan and the fortress city of Carcassonne: onions, grapes for the wine, and the herbs of the garrigue. "En Languedoc" is Stéphane's little declaration of love for his own home, one of several tartines designed as small journeys through France. For a good 20 years, the former cork merchant has been translating regions and classics into jars.

We met Stéphane over 15 years ago, back then in a tiny garage. Today, there stands a cannery built in 2015, where a small team continues to cook in kettles with the same eye for detail as on the very first day.

The circle closes with the red wine of the region

At room temperature, Tartine en Languedoc tastes rounder than straight from the cold, so take the jar out of the fridge in good time. Once opened, keep it refrigerated and consume within a few days. The circle closes with a glass of red wine from the Languedoc, and with good cheese and fresh baguette, it makes for a little breakfast of the South. If you wish to travel further, you will find the other tartines from Rue Traversette, from "en Provence" to "au Pays Basque."