BackgroundMy friend Gwen and I have worked together for almost 10 years and this is her last week. Boo. Gwen is a vegetarian and she often gives me crap for not making more vegetarian stuff. This week will all be stuff she can eat.
The first recipe is Figo Pasta’s Caprino appetizer. This quick and easy app is a great combination of tangy goat cheese, sweet caramelized onions, citrusy orange marmalade and crunchy toasted French bread. It really hits all of the highlights that a good appetizer should hit – minus bacon of course.
Anywho…one of my favorite things to do with Gwen was to go to Ikea and Figo at lunch. Gwen is good at Ikea…I’m pretty sure they can sense her in the area and batten down the hatches when she’s near Atlantic Station. After tearing through the Ikea at an alarming rate, we would swing by the Figo for some delicious pasta. She introduced me to this place, and now it’s one of Michael and my favorite spots.
Recipe
- 1 ½ Tbs Olive Oil
- 1 ½ Cup Sweet Onions, Diced
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 Tbs Orange Marmalade
- 5 oz Goat Cheese
- 1 Loaf French Bread, Sliced on the bias into 16 pieces (about ½ inch thick)
- Parsley for serving
- Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pan over medium-low heat.
- Add the onions, a pinch or two of salt and a few grinds of pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions caramelize and turn a deep golden brown – about 20 minutes. See Tips and Tricks below.
- When the onions have caramelized, add the marmalade and stir.
- When the marmalade is completely incorporated, add the goat cheese and fold to incorporate everything. The cheese will melt as you stir. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heat-proof bowl to cool.
- While the cheese mixture is cooling, heat the oven to 400° and place the slices of bread in a single layer on a pan.
- Toast in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes, turning half way through the cooking time, until they are toasty and slightly colored.
- Spread the cheese mixture on the slices of toasted bread and sprinkle with parsley.
Tips and TricksThe secret to beautifully caramelized onions is to go low and slow. If the onions start to crisp up or look like they’re frying, you have too much heat. Slow and steady win the race.
Feed the FreezerYou can store the cheese mixture in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to serve, toast the bread and commence scooping and spreading.
Fun FactsUntil literally 2 minutes ago, I thought “Caprino” was a well-known Italian appetizer…apparently it’s not. Caprino is simply an Italian goat cheese – the onions and marmalade came from Figo. Who knew?