How to Make Caramelized Onion Chevre Dip

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To tie up this premiere season of My Metropolitan Kitchen, in our last episode we took a stroll through the . Open year-round (yes, even in the winter months!) this beautiful, outdoor market features vendors of all varieties including meats, cheeses, fresh bread, seasonal fruits and vegetables, microgreens, flowers, handmade soaps, fresh honey… and the list goes on. They also have local artists and musicians throughout the market that rotate throughout the season. Definitely add this stop to your weekend itinerary!

One of the vendors, , were offering the most decadent cheeses, freshly baked bread, and just picked microgreens which inspired me to make a Caramelized Onion Chevre Dip. What makes this dish so decadent is the blend of cheeses, including gruyere, and a freshly roasted garlic bulb that is added into the blend. This recipe will quickly become your new go-to appetizer to bring to your next gathering or just to enjoy cozying up next to the fireplace.

Servings: 6-8
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet onion, cut into 1/4″ slices
• 1 stick butter
• 1 whole garlic bulb
• 16 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
• 16 oz. chèvre at room temperature
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 3/4 cup freshly grated gruyere
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

To garnish:

• Handful of Microgreens (basil is a great option but any variety is great!)
• Drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar

To serve (optional):

• One loaf of fresh bread, sliced and toasted for serving
• Crackers
• Sliced vegetables (carrots, celery, etc.)
• Fresh cut apple slices
• Nuts

Tip: To toast the bread, lay the slices flat on a cooking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven at 375˚F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400˚F. Take the garlic bulb and using a sharp, straight edge knife carefully cut the top of the garlic bulb off at the root end to slightly expose the tops of the garlic cloves. Place the garlic bulb on a square of tin foil, cut side up, and drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Wrap the bulb up tightly by pulling up the four corners of the foil around the bulb and twisting them together (it will look like a Hershey’s kiss). Place the foil wrapped garlic onto a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and tin foil and set aside to cool. Leave the oven on and turn down the temperature to 350˚F.
2. While the garlic is roasting, melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium low heat. Add the sliced onion, turn the heat down to low and allow the onion to caramelize for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the onion to turn a golden brown color but not burn. Set aside to cool.
3. Add the cream cheese and chevre cheese in a medium size mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, whip the cheeses for 3-4 minutes until smooth and a fluffy like texture forms.
4. On a cutting board, take the roasted garlic bulb and gently squeeze from the uncut end until the garlic bulbs squeeze out of the skin and onto the board. Remove any skin that may have come loose.  Using the flat end of your knife, or a spoon, gently start pressing the bulbs down until they form a paste.
5. Add the garlic paste, caramelized onions (including any butter that was not absorbed by the onions) and half of the grated gruyere cheese to the bowl mixture and gently fold it in until incorporated thoroughly.
6. Spray a small casserole dish (you want a little space left on top of the cheese mixture once it’s added) with cooking spray and using a spoon or spatula, gently place the cheese and onion mixture into the dish and spread it out evenly.
7. Add the freshly grated gruyere and parmesan cheeses to the top of the mixture in the casserole dish and place in the oven for 30-45 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and browned and the sides of the dish are bubbling.
8. Remove from the oven, garnish the dish with a handful of fresh microgreens and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and serve with sliced toasted or grilled bread, fruit, vegetables or whatever you desire. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Megan LaVigne is the owner of The Culinary Nest, LLC and can be found at or .