This onion fig tart is a sweet, savory experience of caramelized onions layered with the tangy goat cheese and sweet fig jam. A favorite flavor combo with dry to buttery whites such as Sauvignon Blanc.
3 Fav Flavors
I love the combination of caramelized onion, goat cheese and fig. On a cracker, on a flat bread. Or just lay them out on a tray and let me scoop it up. Major yum. And it’s a no brainer pairing with Sauvignon Blanc.
Wine Pairings
Original Pairing: Pallisar Estate Sauvignon Blanc General Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, Pinot Grigio, dry Riesling, dry Rose, Cabernet Franc Party & Menu Overview
Specialty Ingredients
Goat Cheese
As a starting point, I generally use a mild, unflavored goat cheese that you can get at any grocery store. If you want to experiment with stronger flavors (like a Humbolt Fog), taste it with your wine as a stand alone element prior to committing it to the dish.
Honey Options
You can do this with basic clover honey that is sweet and doesn’t have any funky aftertaste. While always keeping the flavor of the wine in mind, it would be run to explore some honey flavor options.
Equipment
Heavy bottom pan
You’ll want a good sized pan to give yourself room to carmelize the onions so you can spread them out evenly. The more the onions have direct contact to the pan surface, the faster they will carmelize. I use a large non-stick chef’s pan, but any large heavy bottom pan will do. I like to have a good edge when I’m doing a lot so I don’t slop out the onions when stirring.
Oven sheet pan
I have many that I use for all sorts of things from prep work, to baking, to freezing.
Parchment Paper
Using parchment paper is insurance on not having your food stick, from apps, flat bread, cookies, etc. I generally stock up on this as Costco. You could also use a silicone mats, but my items still tend to cling to those. And if you use them for anything meaty – they tend to hold the smell. So i use them only for cookie baking.
Planning the Dish
It may take a while to properly caramelize onions. Make them ahead of time to not feel rushed. I find it really hard not to hard not to stir things. Stirring helps me feel productive. But you really just need let them sit there awhile untouched. The rest of the tart can be served warm (bake just prior to serving) or at more room temp so up to an hour prior to serving.
Timing Elements
1+ Day to Serve: Slice and carmelize onions a day ahead and refridgerate. Or you can do it several days ahead and freeze. Defrost overnight in fridge.
2 hours to Serve: To serve room temp, assemble tart and bake. Prep garnish and heat up jam as baking, drizzle when out of oven.
1 hour to Serve: To serve warm, assemble tart (5 min) and bake (30 min bake). Prep garnish and heat up jam as baking, drizzle when out of oven. Cool (10 min) then cut.
Serving: Add garnish just prior to serving
Plating Tips
How this is presented depends on how you have cut it. I did smaller squares, but large enough to make sure every piece had all the flavor elements on it. For my event, I displayed on a tray for guests to pick up.
To plate individually, have some extra fig jam or honey to drizzle over around the dish and plate. You can add some thyme sprigs for added flair.
See plating supplies in resources section
Pairing Alterations
More Herby
Add some finely chopped herbs such as rosemary, oregano, or basil to the goat cheese as you mix it with pepper. You can also get a pre-herbed goat cheese.
Less or More Sweet
To reduce sweetness, you can ease the amount of fig jam, or slice up some fresh figs to use instead. To increase sweetness you can also drizzle honey over the tarte.
Stronger Cheese
You can change up the type of goat cheese for a stronger flavor. You can also mix in a bit of stronger soft cheese such as Roquefort (as long as it goes with your wine!)
