What a perfect appetizer for fall as you can use up all your herbs that have been growing faithfully all summer and utilize organic onions, garlic and goat cheese from Durham’s own Funny Girl Farm.
This appetizer can be made completely ahead, toast the bread, make the cheese topping, caramelize the onions and assemble before serving. I often use ricotta in place of the goat cheese which is best if its homemade, but thats another recipe! If you want to use shallots instead of the onions they are wonderful. Store the toasts in a plastic bag until ready to use and these can be kept frozen as well.
Ingredients
1 baguette, sliced thinly
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, halved
8 oz. goat cheese, room temperature
1 tsp. chopped rosemary
1 tsp. chopped thyme
salt, pepper to taste
5 tsp. olive oil
Onions:
1 Tb. butter
1 1/2 pounds red onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 Tb. sugar
1 tsp. thyme, chopped
2 Tb. sherry wine vinegar
salt and pepper
chopped parsley, garnish
Procedure
1. Heat oven to 400. Brush the bread lightly with olive oil and toast in the oven until lightly browned about 8 minutes. Rub the crostini with the cut sides of the garlic. Discard garlic.
2. Combine the goat cheese with the herbs, salt, pepper and olive oil in a small bowl. Mash it up with the back of a fork. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat melt the butter. Add the onions, sugar and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are very soft about 20 minutes. Increase the heat for a minute and add the vinegar. Cook until vinegar is evaporated and set aside and season with salt and pepper.
4. Spread the cheese lightly on the toasts.
5. Spoon a dollop of onions onto each crostini and garnish with chopped parsley.
* pesto can be substituted for the onions if desired
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