Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Bruschetta with the Texan

Saturday night my daughter's boyfriend joined us for dinner. Since Danielle was making her famous lemon chicken pasta, I opted to prepare the appetizer and dessert. But what would be a good appetizer. Something Italian. The mind wandered to my container garden brimming with basil and ripe tomatoes.

A-ha!

Since all of this transpired at the grocery store, I grabbed a loaf of french bread and headed for the checkout line.

Y'all, this was SO good. As in, I-could-make-a-meal-out-of-this good. Ruthy, the carbs were totally worth it.

Here's what you'll need:
  • A baguette or loaf of crusty french bread, sliced
  • 2 large cloves of garlic, cracked away from the skin
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 small tomatoes, halved and seeded
  • 20 fresh basil leaves
  • coarse salt
  • ground pepper
I don't have a lot of pictures, because I was so eager to get this made I kept forgetting to take the pix.

Chop seeded tomatoes and place in a small bowl. Pile your basil leaves about ten at a time, roll into a log and thinly slice. Add to tomatoes. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. A pinch of each will generally do.

Set aside.
Preheat broiler to high. You can also grill the bread, if you prefer. Place bread slices on a broiler pan. Toast bread on each side under hot broiler. Be sure you keep an eye on it. It can go from nothing to black in no time if you get distracted.

Remove from oven and drizzle with olive oil. I used my Mr. Misto and misted mine so the coating would be lighter. Then rub toasts with cracked garlic. I didn't think this would do much, but it really added a nice kick of flavor.


Top toasts with tomato/basil mixture.


Don't they look purty?

This was so easy and so...well, like I said, yummy. It was light and refreshing on a hot Texas eve. I can hardly wait to make it again.


What's growing in your garden and how do you plan to use it?

10 comments:

  1. Mindy, I love bruschetta! But I never thought to make it. Thank you!! Will give this a go. One of my favorite things is fresh basil. This looks amazing.

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    1. Missy, you'll love this. Just don't forget to keep an eye on the bread as its toasting. Unless your preference leans toward blackened bruschetta :-)

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  2. This looks yummy and easy! I've only had it at a restaurant a few times. I'll definitely make this one up the next time I'm hosting a dinner...though I guess I could make a paired down version for me, myself and I.

    Weeds are growing in my garden right now. :-) Well, in my veggie garden. I think it will only be tomatoes and cucumbers and salad stuff for me this year. I've been spending a lot of time on my front yard which is all perennial beds. I love being able to pick a salad in my backyard! And a word to the wise: don't plant mint in the ground!!!! It's EVERYWHERE and impossible to pull up! Worse then a weed. I'm a herb container advocate from here on!!!!

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    1. Kav, I know what you mean about the mint. It takes over, doesn't it. That one is best confined to a container.

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  3. Mindy, this bruschetta sounds fabulous! and so easy :)

    No garden.

    I've always had a garden, even with all the moving, but our new backyard needs MAJOR renovations before we'd think of something like veggies, or flowers...or grass...

    But over the weekend we took out the old fence, which makes it possible to do the next step: reworking the retaining wall. Once that's done, then the flower and garden beds go in. And trees. And fruit.

    That reminds me, I need to take before and after pictures.

    Oh, it will take at least another year, but eventually I'll be eating out of my garden again :)

    Meanwhile, we have a very nice farmer's market in town...

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    1. Jan, farmer's markets are a great source for fresh fruits and veggies. I have yet to make it to ours this year, but I need to. Peach season should be here any day. Love me some Texas peaches.

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  4. I am all over this. First, I love bruschetta... And the first I had was in Princeton when my kid was in school.... I had no idea what a taste treat it was and promptly fell in love! (same with hummus...)

    Tex, I'm all over lovin' on this! What a treat for the eyes and palate. (I always spell that wrong... Like Mantel and mantle. Which means I wear collars of wood. Sigh.)

    And I love farmers' markets. Money straight to the source. Perfect!!!

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    1. Ruthy, I love hummus too. Never made it though. Might need to give that a try.

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  5. Ooh, your discussion about your gardening just gave me my question for tomorrow's chat!! :)

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