Fig Goat Cheese Toasts Recipes

GOAT CHEESE TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Arrange the bread slices on 2 heavy large baking sheets. Brush olive oil over the bread slices. Bake until the crostini are pale golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.
• Blend the goat cheese and cream cheese in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the parsley, thyme, and lemon peel. Using the on/off button, pulse just to blend. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread the cheese mixture over the crostini. Sprinkle with the olives, chives, and more pepper. Arrange the toasts on a platter and serve.
• Do-Ahead Tip: The crostini and cheese mixture can each be prepared 2 days ahead. Store the crostini in an airtight container at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the cheese mixture. Let the cheese mixture stand at room temperature for 1 hour to soften slightly before spreading over the crostini.

FIG AND GOAT CHEESE TOASTS

Steps:

• Toast the bread in a toaster and while it is still warm, spread the fig spread on each slice to cover it entirely. Place the cheese in a bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, until it's creamy and spreadable. Spread a layer of the cheese on the fig spread, leaving the edges of the fig spread visible. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cut each toast crosswise to make appetizers that will be easy to eat. Place a fig slice on each piece, top with a few microgreens, and drizzle lightly with the balsamic vinegar. Serve at room temperature.

ELEGANT FIG APPETIZERS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven broiler for high heat.
• Place the fig halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Top each half with about 1/2 teaspoon goat cheese. Place one almond on each, press to push the cheese slightly into each fig.
• Broil the figs in the preheated oven until the cheese is soft and the almonds are turning a rich shade of brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the broiler and let cool for 5 minutes. Arrange the figs on a serving platter and drizzle with honey and balsamic vinegar. Serve warm.

FIGS WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat a skillet over medium heat; add oil. Add onion; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking and stirring until onion is very tender and dark brown, about 40 minutes more. Remove from heat and cool.
• While the onion is cooling, cut the figs lengthwise into 1/4-inch rounds.
• Layer 1/4 teaspoon goat cheese, 1/4 teaspoon caramelized onions, and 1 or 2 fig slices on each cracker.

FIG AND CHEESE TOASTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. On ungreased large cookie sheet, place bread slices; brush tops lightly with oil.
• Bake 5 to 6 minutes or until bread is just starting to turn golden brown. Turn slices over; top each with 1 cheese slice. Bake 2 to 3 minutes longer or just until cheese starts to melt.
• Place fig quarter, seed side up, on top of each cheese-topped toast. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pepper. Serve immediately.

GOAT CHEESE AND FIG QUICK BREAD

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8- to 9-inch loaf pan with baking spray (or butter the pan).
• Cut the goat cheese into 1/2-inch pieces. It's a sticky, messy job, so don't aim for perfection. Refrigerate the cheese until needed.
• In a small bowl, toss together the figs, parsley, rosemary and thyme; keep at hand.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Working in a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until blended, then whisk in the milk, oil and honey.
• Pour the wet ingredients over the flour mixture, and, using a sturdy spatula, stir until the dough is almost blended. You'll still see streaks of flour, and that's fine. Scatter the fig mixture over the dough, and then cover with the chilled bits of goat cheese. Grate the zest of the clementine or tangerine over the cheese. Using as few strokes as possible, stir everything together. Once again, it might not be perfect, and, once again, that's fine. Scrape the dough into the pan, and use the spatula to poke the dough into the corners and to even the bumpy top.
• Bake for 34 to 38 minutes or until the top is golden, the cake has started to pull away from the sides of the pan, and, most important, a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Unmold the cake onto a rack, turn it right side up and let it cool. You can serve the cake when it's slightly warm (it's not so easy to cut then, but it's delicious) or when it is at room temperature. Cut into thick slices. Wrapped well, the cake will keep for a day or two at room temperature.

FRESH FIGS WITH ROSEMARY GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• In a bowl whisk together all ingredients except figs until smooth and season with salt and pepper. Rosemary goat cheese may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring goat cheese to cool room temperature before serving.
• Mound goat cheese in center of a platter. Halve figs and arrange around goat cheese for dipping.