vorace.: Farmers' Market Figgy Crostini

I'm reviving my Farmers' Market posts from last summer! Well, at least for this one recipe. I know you're excited :-)

The most convenient farmers' market for me to get to is the one nearby my work office. However, it has become inconvenient this year since 1. I have a puppy now and have to get home after work to tend to her, or she gets really annoyed with me, and 2. I take a workout class on the same nights as the farmers' market, so I don't have time to do both. Bummer.squared. But last week we had a week off from the workout class thus I was able to make it to the farmers' market with my farmers' market buddy, Paloma. I went home after work to pick up the pup and met Paloma for some produce perusal. I was very excited and so was Milli, it being her first trip to the FM and all.

I took my old approach of simply walking around the market to see what looked interesting and decided on what recipe to make from there. As we walked our first go-around, I spotted some fruits that looked like very small pears. Paloma informed me that they were figs! I had never seen fresh figs at the farmers' market before, so I kept them in mind as we continued our walk. We came across my favorite bread stand and all of a sudden an idea popped into my head: toast (raisin pumpernickel), cheese, figs! I whipped my head around to the cheese monger across the way and spotted some jars of honey.

[There were real live bees in there!]

I pictured this crostini spread with goat cheese, which they didn't have, but I thought a nice drizzle of honey would be fantastic on it, so I picked up a small jar of that. Look how cute these little jars are:

I figured the figs and honey would need a little something to cut through the sweetness, so I grabbed a small candy onion from the next stand over (for 35 cents! Gotta love farmers' market prices!). Paloma purchased some ground cherries and we were off!

I stopped by the grocery store for the only thing I didn't find at the market - goat cheese, and then Milli and I were headed home to whip up this delicious crostini for a late night supper. Along with a few ingredients from my own kitchen, the ingredients I got from the market turned into a really scrumptious little treat. I ate two slices of this toast by myself, but I think these would make the perfect party treats. Just slice the toast into one inch x one inch squares and lay them out on a big serving platter. Or, I was thinking that with the sweetness of the figs and honey plus the savory flavor of the goat cheese and onion, this recipe would make for a great brunch dish. Serve alongside a glass of prosecco or champagne and voila - brunch perfection!

Alright, let's get cookin'!

Fig & Goat Cheese Crostini
Servings: 1
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
2 slices of raisin pumpernickel bread
1 small handful whole pecans
2 teaspoons soft goat cheese, plain
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 candy onion (a small sweet or Vidalia onion will do)
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper (FCBP)
2 pinches of pumpkin pie seasoning
1 pinch of salt
4 whole figs, trimmed and sliced long-ways

First, a photo of my farmers' market bounty:

OK, now to the recipe.

Let's start with a little prep work. Preheat your broiler or toaster oven so that it's ready when you want to toast your bread. Also, remove the goat cheese from the fridge so that it can soften and be spreadable.

Next, toast your pecans. Place them in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat.

Toss them around the skillet often to prevent them from burning. Cook them for about five minutes and then remove them from the pan. Allow them to cool while you cook the rest of the dish.

Place a small pot on the stove over high heat. Add the balsamic vinegar to the pot. Keep an eye on it while you are cooking your onions and figs. When he vinegar comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low. Stir occasionally while you are finishing up the rest of the dish.

While the vinegar is working, pull the rest of the recipe together.

We are going to use that same nonstick skillet we used for the pecans to cook the onions and figs. Turn your burner on medium-low heat this time.

Since my skillet was already hot (and yours will be too), we want the pan to cool down a bit so that our onions don't burn. Therefore, I put the skillet over a cold burner to start.

Add the EVOO and sliced onions to the skillet while it is situated over the cold burner.

Allow them to warm up. After cooking for two minutes or so, move the skillet to the hot burner (the one you have going at medium-low). Sprinkle in 1/4 teaspoon FCBP, a pinch of pumpkin pie seasoning, and stir.

Let the onions cook for three more minutes and then add the sliced figs.

Sprinkle with another 1/4 teaspoon FCBP, a pinch of pumpkin pie seasoning, and a pinch of salt. Stir.

Let this mixture cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the onions and figs are cooking, toast your bread. Stick it in your toaster oven or oven's broiler and leave on the first side until it starts turning a darker brown.

Flip the bread over and let it brown on the other side. This whole process should only take three or four minutes total, so keep a watch on it so the bread doesn't burn.

Remove the bread from the oven when it's nice and toasty.

Also, turn the burner off on the balsamic vinegar reduction and remove the pot from the heat.

Let the reduction cool and it will be slightly thickened.

Now is a good time to chop your toasted pecans. Place them on your cutting board and run a sharp knife through them several times until you have tiny bits.

Let's assemble our crostini.

Lay your toast on a cutting board or somewhere you don't mind getting messy.

Spread the softened goat cheese over one side of each slice of toast. Sprinkle with FCBP.