Caramelized Red Onion-Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Our group exploring Gourmet's List of 50 Women Game-Changers in Food has come to Week 49! This week is interesting because the focus is not on a chef - but on a website that has exploded: Foodspotting. Unlike TV chefs, I have heard of Foodspotting. But because I cook a lot at home, I have never used it.

The web-based company's description says, "Foodspotting is a visual local guide that lets you find dishes, not just restaurants, thanks to foodspotters who report sightings of foods they love." Co-founded by two women and a guy: Alexa Andrzejewski, Soraya Durabi and Ted Grubb, the company came about when Alex came home from a trip to Korea and Japan craving dishes she had had overseas but could not find any easy way of finding the dishes locally. Alexa was an experienced mobile and web designer and set out to create a "field guide for foodies." She has succeeded. Time Magazine listed Foodspotting as one of the 50 best websites of 2010. Not bad for a website that was launched in January 2010! This website is changing the way people choose restaurants. And while it will not take down the huge restaurants, the website gives some glitter to the tiny restaurant that is unknown but may have one splendiferous dish.

Just as you can "follow" people on Twitter and pins on Pinterest, so you can follow your favorite foodies on foodspotting. You can become a "foodspotter" and move up in the ranks earning points. There is a hierarchy and from what I can see on the web - people just love it.

I am going to cut to the chase and get to the recipe because life has exploded. Just as I thought my workload would be eased this summer without the Summer Theatre Program, the Minnesota Fringe Festival has shaken me up and turned me around and I am knee deep in weeds as I (ha!) "simplify" the garden and elbow-deep in theatre. If you've ever developed a 210-character blurb designed to be your primary marketing tool, you'll understand how obsessive one can be. I'm not complaining - just crazed! So if this has piqued your interest - FAQ's about foodspotting can be found here. Who knows? Maybe you will be the next grand foodspotter!

Because Foodspotting is not a site for recipes, many of us decided to find local restaurants and their offerings and then try to recreate the dishes at home. Some were lucky enough to get a recipe. Me? I winged it - but they were lovely wings!

I started my Foodspotting journey somewhat tenuously. There were a lot of deep-fried pickles from the Minnesota State Fair before I came upon a dish that gave me a "voila!"

And "voila!" Here it is

From Bar La Grassa in Minneapolis, my interpretation of their Red Onion-Goat Cheese Bruschetta. (Note: this is not the restaurant's recipe and these days they serve a "Charred Red -Onion-Goat -Cheese Bruschetta.) Either way - it's mighty fine! And if a trip to Minneapolis is not in your future, play with this - it's ripe for substitutions, additions and deletions - it's just plain fun. 

Caramelized Red Onion-Goat Cheese Bruschetta - serves 6
6 slices of favorite bread (I used whole grain but Italian, French and Ciabatta work)
1 garlic clove
6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large red onions
1 tablespoon brown sugar (can use white)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (can omit or use your favorite vinegar)
6 ounces plain goat cheese
Garnish: Italian Parsley or Thyrme and olives (I used Nicoise, I also like Kalamata in this)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Rub bread with garlic. Brush with olive oil and baker 7-15 minutes (depending on size of bread) until bread is lightly golden. Remove from oven.

In a large skillet or fry pan, heat olive oil on medium high. Add onions and stir - coating all. Add sugar and stir. Add vinegar and stir. Cook on medium high for 3-4 minutes and then turn burner down to low. Cook 40-50 minutes until onions are soft and lightly browned.* Stir every 5-10 minutes

Put caramelized onions on bread, top with 1 ounce of goat cheese. Put under broiler (set on high) until goat cheese starts to melt. Garnish with herbs and sprinkle with olives and serves.

*By all means, caramelize your onions as you wish - some people do this for 20 minutes - if your heat is on low enough you can do this for an hour. This recipe is all "suggestion" to me rather than absolutes.

Also, it is easy to vary amounts for servings and taste. More goat cheese? Less? Your call.

Check out what the other bloggers are doing to honor this week's game-changer and if you want to join in the fun for our last week, e-mail Mary at One Perfect Bite. Mary started this delectable journey.

Val - More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne - Eats Well With Others, Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed

Susan - The Spice Garden, Heather - girlichef,

Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette - Healthy Living, 

Mary - One Perfect Bite, Kathleen - Bake Away with Me

Sue - The View from Great Island, Barbara - Movable Feasts

Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds, 

Linda A - There and Back Again, 

Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen

Annie - Most Lovely Things, Alyce - More Time at the Table; Amrita- Beetle's Kitchen Escapades
Jill - Saucy Cooks, Sarah - Everything in the Kitchen Sink

Martha - Simple Nourished Living