Baked Goat Cheese with Caramelized Onion, Garlic and Mission Figs

ingredients

2 pounds goat cheese
14 dried Mission figs (1 cup), sliced
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large Spanish onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
3 rosemary sprigs (or less, to taste)
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 sliced baguettes, for dipping

method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Crumble the goat cheese into an oven safe dish and set aside.

In a sauce pan, combine the figs and sherry with enough water to just barely cover the figs. Place the sauce pan over high heat and bring up to a boil. Cover and remove from the heat and let the figs plump while you go ahead and cook the onions.

Pour the olive oil into a large skillet and over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are lightly browned. (I like to cook them longer and usually add a bit of brown sugar to the pan to enhance the caramelizing). Using a slotted spoon remove the plumped figs from the sauce pan, leaving behind any of the liquid. Add the figs to the cooked onions. Stir to combine and then spoon over the goat cheese. Place the dish into the top half of the oven for 20 minutes, until the edges begin to bubble.

Remove and serve immediately with sliced baguettes and pears, if desired.

Adapted from a Food Network Recipe courtesy Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh