Chismillionare's recipe of the week

Fig, Goat Cheese and Prosciutto Crostini

Executive Chef Jim Nuetzi recommends serving impressive yet easy-to-prepare delicacies like crostini with goat cheese, fresh proscuitto and fig.

Ingredients (Serves 24)

French Bread Baguette Loaf, Sliced 1/2" thick	24 slices
Goat Cheese	12 oz
Olive Oil	3 Tbsp
Onions, Red, thinly sliced	3 oz (1 small each)
Fresh Figs, cut into wedges 1/4"	6 ea.
Fennel Bulb, fresh, thinly sliced	8 oz
Dark Brown Sugar	1 tsp
Red Wine Vinegar	2 Tbsp
Ginger, fresh, finely chopped	2 Tbsp
Black Pepper, freshly ground	1/4 tsp
Prosciutto, paper thin slices	6 oz
Fig Essence, prepared	2 oz
Chervil (or fresh flat leaf parsley)	1/8 bunch
Water (if necessary; see below)	2 Tbsp

Preparation
1. Slice the French bread into ½ thick rounds, spread out on clean, dry sheet pan and toast under broiler until golden. Turn over each slice and spread a 1/8 inch layer of goat cheese over surface of each slice of bread to crust edge. Lay on a clean, dry sheet pan (or cookie sheet) and set aside.
2. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil and add the fennel and red onions. Sauté over medium heat for several minutes to bring out the natural juices from the fennel. Stir occasionally to prevent browning. If the fennel becomes too dry and does not appear to be getting tender, add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan.
3. Once fennel is wilted and tender, add the fresh figs, dark brown sugar, red wine vinegar, ginger and black pepper and reduce heat, stirring gently to combine, being careful not to break up figs. Add the fig essence and cook over gentle heat until the mixture is thick and syrupy in texture.
4. Remove fig mixture from heat and store at room temperature until ready for service.

At Service
1. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of fig mixture on each slice of French bread and spread fig mixture evenly over surface to crust edge. Top with a paper thin slice of prosciutto (no larger than the slice of bread), folding in an accordion style if necessary to fit within the crust edge.
2. Place sheet pan in oven and bake at 400° F until they are just warmed, being careful not to dry the prosciutto out.
3. Drizzle the surface of each crostini with fig essence and garnish with a small sprig of chervil.
4. Serve immediately.