How many of you saw the movie Ratatouille? Remember the scene where Remy (the star mouse) is teaching his brother, Emile about food pairings and all the exciting combinations of tastes? . . . . "Now, imagine every great taste in the world being combined into infinite combinations. Tastes that no one has tried yet! Discoveries to be made!"
In a world of infinite combinations, some things are just meant to be together, like peanut butter and jelly. Or cookies and milk. Eggs and bacon. Popcorn and real butter. Grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.
Think about it for a minute or two. What's are some of your favorite food pairings? I'm a lot like Remy and have many, many favorites. Here are just a few that immediately come to mind:
Olive oil and butter - I know - you don't eat it, but it's great for cooking because the olive oil allows for a higher smoke point (temperature that oil begins to break down and produce bluish smoke) while the butter gives a great taste
Tomato and basil - goes on just about anything (bruschetta, fish fillets, pasta, scrambled eggs . . . .)
Nutella and fruits - a recent discovery at our house; it's delicious with almost any fruit on toast and it makes the best grilled sandwiches with fruit, marshmallows, caramel . . . .
Peanut Butter and apples - pb is great for sandwiches or getting kids to eat celery, but my favorite way to eat peanut butter is with crisp apples
Cream Cheese - I haven't found anything I don't like cream cheese with - yet . . . .
I make most of the bread our family eats. We're not bread snobs or anything like that. I just really enjoy making bread - all kinds of bread. Fresh bread is fantastic, but what about the day after? We're a small family, so there's always "day old" bread in the house. Bruschetta is one of many great ways to use up any day old (or older) bread or even pound cake.
Bruschetta is wonderful in the summertime, when it's too hot to even think about cooking . It's easy and fast to make and the bread choices and topping combinations are limitless. It's also versatile. It can be an appetizer, the main course, or even a dessert.
Almost any bread works for bruschetta, but I prefer French or Country Loaf. I would recommend using a dense bread or a day-old bread rather than bread that is fresh because it'll hold up better. Brioche loaf is really good for the sweeter, dessert-type bruschettas. None of the bakeries in Sioux Falls (as far as I'm aware) make a brioche loaf, but I did find an excellent recipe in Ina Garten's "Barefoot in Paris" cookbook. Not only does it make a superb loaf of bread, it's super-easy and (bonus) you don't have to knead it! Ina Garten is one of my favorite chefs and I LOVE this cookbook! It's full of easy, elegant, delicious recipes!!
Did you know pound cake also works really well as a dessert-style bruschetta? I'm not sure if there is such a thing as a "dessert bruschetta", but we have it in our house whenever there's a little pound cake or brioche loaf left over. I use the same preparation technique and top it with things like nutella and strawberries, bananas, or apples or peanut butter blended with cream cheese and marshmallow creme and bananas or apples and shaved chocolate (yum!) or marshmallow creme mixed with cream cheese and topped with any combination of fruit (like strawberries, kiwis, and melon).
For those of you not yet acquainted with Nutella, check out this site: http://www.msadventuresinitaly.com/blog/2009/02/04/nutella-virgin-50-ways-to-eat-nutella-and-nutella-lover-types/. It'll help you become more familiar with Nutella and all it's wonderful uses!
I've included a recipe for a simple bruschetta below, but feel free to think beyond traditional recipes. You are only limited by your imagination when it comes to topping bruschetta, in my opinion. Get a little crazy and have a little fun. What combinations do you like? What sounds good to you? If you're looking for a little inspiration, look to some of your favorite recipes. Cantaloupe or honey dew melon wrapped in prosciutto is a traditional Italian recipe. What if you used it as a topping for bruschetta? Instead of wrapping the melon slice in prosciutto, dice the melon and chop the prosciutto, add a pinch of salt and maybe a little basil and - voila! Or, instead of cantaloupe, what about watermelon with a pinch of salt and a little mint? . . . .
One tip before we get to the recipe: TASTE as you go along! If you're not sure, add just a little of any ingredient. You can always add more, if the dish you're preparing needs it, but it you add too much well . . . .
In a world of infinite combinations, some things are just meant to be together, like peanut butter and jelly. Or cookies and milk. Eggs and bacon. Popcorn and real butter. Grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.
Think about it for a minute or two. What's are some of your favorite food pairings? I'm a lot like Remy and have many, many favorites. Here are just a few that immediately come to mind:
Olive oil and butter - I know - you don't eat it, but it's great for cooking because the olive oil allows for a higher smoke point (temperature that oil begins to break down and produce bluish smoke) while the butter gives a great taste
Tomato and basil - goes on just about anything (bruschetta, fish fillets, pasta, scrambled eggs . . . .)
Nutella and fruits - a recent discovery at our house; it's delicious with almost any fruit on toast and it makes the best grilled sandwiches with fruit, marshmallows, caramel . . . .
Peanut Butter and apples - pb is great for sandwiches or getting kids to eat celery, but my favorite way to eat peanut butter is with crisp apples
Cream Cheese - I haven't found anything I don't like cream cheese with - yet . . . .
I make most of the bread our family eats. We're not bread snobs or anything like that. I just really enjoy making bread - all kinds of bread. Fresh bread is fantastic, but what about the day after? We're a small family, so there's always "day old" bread in the house. Bruschetta is one of many great ways to use up any day old (or older) bread or even pound cake.
Bruschetta is wonderful in the summertime, when it's too hot to even think about cooking . It's easy and fast to make and the bread choices and topping combinations are limitless. It's also versatile. It can be an appetizer, the main course, or even a dessert.
Almost any bread works for bruschetta, but I prefer French or Country Loaf. I would recommend using a dense bread or a day-old bread rather than bread that is fresh because it'll hold up better. Brioche loaf is really good for the sweeter, dessert-type bruschettas. None of the bakeries in Sioux Falls (as far as I'm aware) make a brioche loaf, but I did find an excellent recipe in Ina Garten's "Barefoot in Paris" cookbook. Not only does it make a superb loaf of bread, it's super-easy and (bonus) you don't have to knead it! Ina Garten is one of my favorite chefs and I LOVE this cookbook! It's full of easy, elegant, delicious recipes!!
Did you know pound cake also works really well as a dessert-style bruschetta? I'm not sure if there is such a thing as a "dessert bruschetta", but we have it in our house whenever there's a little pound cake or brioche loaf left over. I use the same preparation technique and top it with things like nutella and strawberries, bananas, or apples or peanut butter blended with cream cheese and marshmallow creme and bananas or apples and shaved chocolate (yum!) or marshmallow creme mixed with cream cheese and topped with any combination of fruit (like strawberries, kiwis, and melon).
For those of you not yet acquainted with Nutella, check out this site: http://www.msadventuresinitaly.com/blog/2009/02/04/nutella-virgin-50-ways-to-eat-nutella-and-nutella-lover-types/. It'll help you become more familiar with Nutella and all it's wonderful uses!
I've included a recipe for a simple bruschetta below, but feel free to think beyond traditional recipes. You are only limited by your imagination when it comes to topping bruschetta, in my opinion. Get a little crazy and have a little fun. What combinations do you like? What sounds good to you? If you're looking for a little inspiration, look to some of your favorite recipes. Cantaloupe or honey dew melon wrapped in prosciutto is a traditional Italian recipe. What if you used it as a topping for bruschetta? Instead of wrapping the melon slice in prosciutto, dice the melon and chop the prosciutto, add a pinch of salt and maybe a little basil and - voila! Or, instead of cantaloupe, what about watermelon with a pinch of salt and a little mint? . . . .
One tip before we get to the recipe: TASTE as you go along! If you're not sure, add just a little of any ingredient. You can always add more, if the dish you're preparing needs it, but it you add too much well . . . .
Classic Tomato/Basil Bruschetta
I prepare the topping first so the flavors can blend or "marry".
2-3 medium-sized tomatoes or 5-7 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced (you can seed them, if you like)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
salt (I like kosher salt), a pinch or so (add a little, then taste and add more accordingly)
basil (about 1 tbsp. fresh - or so), chopped or 1 tsp. dried
Mix together in a bowl and set aside.
Now for the base (the bread). There are a variety of ways you can prepare this. You can do it on the stovetop, on the grill, or under the broiler. I prefer either the stovetop or grill method in the summertime, but it's up to you.
On the stovetop: I love butter. To quote Julie Powell (The Julie/Julia Project), "Is there anything better than butter? Think it over, any time you taste something that's delicious beyond imagining and you say 'what's in this?' the answer is always going to be butter. The day there is a meteorite rushing toward Earth and we have thirty days to live, I am going to spend it eating butter. Here is my final word on the subject, you can never have too much butter."
That being said, I butter both sides of the bread. While I'm preparing the bread, I heat olive oil (about 2 tbsp.) in a pan (be sure you don't crowd the pan or the bread won't brown properly!). Brown the bread on both sides until evenly brown.
Move the browned bread to a serving platter or plate and top with the tomato mixture. If you like, you can add some shredded mozzarella or parmesan cheese.
That's it! Enjoy!!
If you're grilling and want to prepare the bread on grill just blend equal amounts of melted butter and olive oil in a bowl. Brush both sides of the bread slices with the butter/oil mixture and place over indirect heat on the grill (preferably the upper shelf, if you have one). Grill until evenly browned on both sides, top with tomato mixure (and cheese, if you like) and serve.
Under the broiler is similar to the grilling method. Use the butter/oil mixture on both sides of the bread and place under a broiler for a few minutes (be sure to watch it!) until both sides are browned. Top and enoy!
Please let me know if you have any recipes, tips, or techniques you’d like to share. They’re always welcome! And, if you try any of the recipes and want to share them, please send a photo along with any comments to me. I’ll publish them in the next post!
And, if you have any questions about this recipe or a technique, please email me at itsnotjustabouttherecipe@ymail.com and I'll do my best to answer it!
Next Week: The incredible, edible egg!
This post is linked with love to the following:
Please let me know if you have any recipes, tips, or techniques you’d like to share. They’re always welcome! And, if you try any of the recipes and want to share them, please send a photo along with any comments to me. I’ll publish them in the next post!
And, if you have any questions about this recipe or a technique, please email me at itsnotjustabouttherecipe@ymail.com and I'll do my best to answer it!
Next Week: The incredible, edible egg!
This post is linked with love to the following:
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