Several years I was in San Francisco visiting my sister Ann. She and a group of friends were going to a cooking school on one of the evenings while I was visiting. When asked if I wanted to go, well, of course I said yes! Tante Marie Cooking School has quite an reputation and we had a fun evening. We were preparing an entire meal which we would then eat. We broke into several groups with each group preparing a course. The course I helped prepare was an appetizer.
JAM:
1 cup dried Black Mission Figs
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 cups water
2 TBSP. maple syrup
coarse salt
ONIONS:
1 TBSP. butter
1 TBSP. olive oil
2 cups thinly slice onions
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
CROSTINI:
1/2 cup (4 oz.) Gorgonzola, softened
24 1-inch thick diagonal slices of French baguette, toasted
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
To prepare the fig jam, remove the stems from the figs. Place figs and lemon juice in the food processor and process until the figs are coarsely chopped. Place fig mixture, 2 cups water, syrup and a pinch of salt in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 25 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and cool.
The prepare the onions, heat the butter and oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat, Add the onions, vinegar and thyme and a pinch of salt, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and cook 20 minutes more, stirring often, until the onions are completely soft and golden.
To assemble, spread 1 tsp. cheese over each toasted baguette slice. Top each slice with some of the onion mixture and some of the fig jam. Sprinkle crostini with thyme leaves and serve.
JAM:
1 cup dried Black Mission Figs
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 cups water
2 TBSP. maple syrup
coarse salt
ONIONS:
1 TBSP. butter
1 TBSP. olive oil
2 cups thinly slice onions
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
CROSTINI:
1/2 cup (4 oz.) Gorgonzola, softened
24 1-inch thick diagonal slices of French baguette, toasted
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
To prepare the fig jam, remove the stems from the figs. Place figs and lemon juice in the food processor and process until the figs are coarsely chopped. Place fig mixture, 2 cups water, syrup and a pinch of salt in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 25 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and cool.
The prepare the onions, heat the butter and oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat, Add the onions, vinegar and thyme and a pinch of salt, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and cook 20 minutes more, stirring often, until the onions are completely soft and golden.
To assemble, spread 1 tsp. cheese over each toasted baguette slice. Top each slice with some of the onion mixture and some of the fig jam. Sprinkle crostini with thyme leaves and serve.
