Chevre Cheesecake with Fig Tapenade

Crust:
6 oz stoned-wheat crackers
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

¼ c walnuts, toasted
½ c butter, melted


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9-inch springform pan and wrap outside of the pan with foil.  Process crackers, walnuts, and thyme in food processor until you have fine crumbs; mix with melted butter until evenly moistened.  Press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of springform pan, bake 15 minutes and remove from oven to cooling rack.

Filling:
4 oz cottage cheese
½ tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
½ c sour cream
2 tsp herbs de provence
16 oz goat cheese ¾ tsp salt 
 5 large eggs
¾ tsp ground black pepper

Place cottage cheese in food processor and puree until smooth.  Add sour cream and process to combine. Blend chevre and cottage cheese mixture in bowl of electric mixer.  Add eggs one at a time until combined; add remaining ingredients and mix until just dispersed.  Pour into cooled crust. Set cheesecake pan into larger pan; fill outer pan with water until halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake about 70 minutes. Top of cheesecake should be lightly browned and dry but soft when touched. Cool and chill, loosely covered, overnight.

Tapenade:

1 c plus 1 tbl balsamic vinegar
⅔ c Kalamata olives, quartered
¼ c Montinore Ruby port
1 tbl honey

2 c dried Calimyrna figs, stemmed and quartered
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

⅔ c water
2 tsp fennel seed, toasted
1 tsp orange zest
¼ c toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

Place 1 cup balsamic vinegar and ruby port in a small saucepan.  Simmer over low heat until liquid has reduced to roughly ½ cup. Set aside to cool.  Place figs in a saucepan with water, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and orange zest.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until figs are plump and liquid is mostly absorbed.  Transfer figs to a medium bowl and toss with olives, honey, thyme, fennel seed and balsamic reduction.  Cover and chill.  When ready to serve, combine tapanade with toasted walnuts and spoon over chevre cheesecake.  Serve as a first course or with a lightly dressed green salad.