Baked Goat Cheese with Caramelized Onion, Garlic and Mission Figs

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb goat cheese
• 14 dried Mission figs (1 cup), sliced
• 1/3 cup dry sherry
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 large Spanish onions, thinly sliced
• 10 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 rosemary sprigs
• 2 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 sliced baguettes, for dipping

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Crumble the goat cheese into an oven-safe casserole dish and set aside.
• In a sauce pot, combine the figs and sherry with enough water to barely cover the figs. Bring to a bubble over high heat, then cover, remove from the heat, and let the figs steep and plump up while the onions cook.
• Pour the olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring often, for about 25 minutes, until lightly browned.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove the plumped figs from the sauce pot (leaving behind the liquid) and add them to the cooked onions. Stir to combine, then spoon over the goat cheese.
• Place the dish in the top half of the oven for 20 minutes, until the edges begin to bubble.
• Remove and serve immediately with sliced baguettes or crackers.

A holiday appetizer adapted from the Hearty Boys (Food Network). From Diane Morrisey on Instagram.