These Spanish-style crostini are going to blow your mind!

(Scroll down to the end of this post to enter the giveaway.)

Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Truffled Honey Crostini | www.oliviascuisine.com | The perfect appetizer for your brunch or summer party!

(Many thanks to Joan of Arc® for sponsoring today’s story and encouraging me to use goat cheese in fresh, new ways!)

Are you gaga for goat cheese like I am? When you think of goat cheese, does your mind go crazy with all the endless possibilities? Do you imagine it on your pizza, in your sandwiches, on your pasta, in your appetizers, on salad, in your desserts or even by the spoonful? 

That my friend, is a chronic case of goat cheesiness mania and I’m afraid to inform you there is no cure but to embrace it completely!

And today we are embracing goat cheese madness with these mouthwatering, vegetarian-friendly crostini that are creamy, crunchy, salty, sweet, tangy, and even a little bit funky if you use the truffled honey. Oh my God, you guys, this is definitely the quintessential bite! (Oh yes, I just used the nerdy word “quintessential”, so things are getting seeeeriooous!)

Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Truffled Honey Crostini | www.oliviascuisine.com | The perfect appetizer for your brunch or summer party!

Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Truffled Honey Crostini | www.oliviascuisine.com | The perfect appetizer for your brunch or summer party!

Summer is finally here and with that comes those amazing summer parties that we all cherish and love. And how does a good summer party start? With a killer appetizer!

Before I knew exactly what kind of appetizer I wanted to do with the few varieties of Joan of Arc goat cheese I picked up at the grocery store, I called the one person I know can throw the BEST soirees ever: my aunt Renata. 

Her parties are seriously the best parties I’ve ever been to. The food is out of this world, the wine is invariably flowing freely (think Romanee Conti), the music is perfectly selected and everybody is always laughing and having a good time! Even the weather tends to cooperate. (Except for that one New Year’s Party where the rain decided to pour heavenly on the karaoke stage she had built on the garden… Well, that didn’t stop us and we still got on that stage to sing and dance our wet asses off!)

So it’s no surprise she’s the one I turn to when I need a recipe to impress my guests. This time, with goat cheese in mind, she gave me this delicious recipe, that she called Spanish Tapas.

Despite the Spanish inspired flavors, I decided to rename the recipe to Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Truffled Honey Crostini. Yes, the flavors might be Spanish, but they are on a piece of crusty bread, and for me that’s a crostini (or bruschetta). 

Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Truffled Honey Crostini | www.oliviascuisine.com | The perfect appetizer for your brunch or summer party!

Crostini, in italian, means “little toasts” (with Crostino being the singular). It is an appetizer consisting of small slices of toasted or grilled bread (usually baguette slices) and toppings.

They are thought to have originated in the Medieval times, when it was typical for Italian peasants to eat their meals on slices of bread instead of using expensive ceramics that they couldn’t afford. 

The secret to a good crostini is high quality bread. A good white bread baguette from your local bakery will do! Slice it thinly enough to bite but not too thin that it won’t be sturdy enough for the toppings!

Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Truffled Honey Crostini | www.oliviascuisine.com | The perfect appetizer for your brunch or summer party!

As for the truffled honey, if it’s not your thing (it is not for many!), just substitute it for regular honey or your favorite jam. Chili Pepper jam works great in this too!

Oh, and please splurge on some good quality goat cheese as it is the star of this dish! The cheese I used for this recipe is Joan of Arc fresh traditional goat cheese, however any variety of their goat cheese would work perfectly here. They have Garlic & Herb, Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil, Cranberry Cinnamon, Fig and Peppadew.

The Joan of Arc brand includes a variety of French and French-style cheeses that are perfect for today’s on-the-go shopper that is looking for quick and easy ways to go gourmet. The brand features not only the delicious goat cheese we are using today, but also classic flavors like chevre, brie, camembert and Roquefort that has kept consumers coming back for more since its inception in 1918.

Their website is a great resource as it not only features a nice sampling of recipes, it also includes wine and beer pairing suggestions that perfectly match the rich flavors of the line’s specialty cheeses. Similarly, the brand’s Facebook page and Pinterest page are loaded with recipes and serving suggestions. Also, Joan of Arc Facebook fans are always the first to know about the latest promotions, enter-to-win contests and new items. 

I paired this appetizer with some crisp and light Sauvignon Blanc, but any choice of white or red will go well with this crostini! 

Here’s to a summer of good wine and delicious food! When attending/hosting parties, make sure you enjoy your friends instead of only hanging out by the food table like me! :P

P.S. Wanna keep in touch? Follow me on FacebookTwitterInstagram or Pinterest to stay up to date with my posts! If you end up making one of my recipes, I would love to see it! Just take a photo and post it on your preferred Social Media and tag me or use the hashtag #oliviascuisine! 

Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Truffled Honey Crostini | www.oliviascuisine.com | The perfect appetizer for your brunch or summer party!

Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Truffled Honey Crostini

Yield: 20 crostini
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 french baguette, cut into 1/2" thick slices
  • 3 large Spanish onions, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing bread slices
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
  • 2 (4oz) Joan of Arc fresh goat cheese logs (any variety)
  • 2 tablespoons truffled honey, regular honey or your favorite jam
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Herbs of your choice to garnish

Instructions

  • Pre heat your oven to 425F degrees and arrange a rack in the middle.
  • On a large sauté pan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil and the butter, over medium high heat, until the butter melts. Add the sliced onions, lower the heat to medium, and cook until translucent. Add the vinegar and the brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 30 to 45 minutes or until the onions caramelize. They should be a rich, browned color. If they start drying out while cooking, add a little water. Season with salt and pepper and reserve.
  • While onions are cooking, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set the baguette slices, brushed with olive oil, on a single layer. Bring them to the oven and bake for 8 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove from oven to assemble.
  • Assemble your crostini with the caramelized onions and a slice of coat cheese on each baguette slice.
  • Turn your broiler on and broil the crostini for 3 minutes, just so the goat cheese melts slightly.
  • Remove from oven, finish off by drizzling the honey (or jam) and garnishing with your favorite herbs (I used chives) and serve!
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    Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Truffled Honey Crostini | www.oliviascuisine.com | The perfect appetizer for your brunch or summer party! 

     

    $50 VISA GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY: 

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