the california cook: a bruschetta bar: bread, toppings, eat - grill basket best

November was a dull day in Umbria.
On the shore of Lake Trasimeno, holiday boats are pulled up and covered.
We are visiting frantoio of Alfredo mancianti, one of my favorite olive oil producers, who is grinding a bunch of purple --
Under an old stone wheel, black olives turn into paste.
He beat a few one-sided packs.
On the electric oven, rub them gently with a little garlic, then scoop them with a spoon on a little golden green oil floating from the crushed olives.
He's done with some salt.
This is probably the best Brussels bread I 've ever had, and it's one of the best food periods in context alone.
This is also the simplest one.
This is probably the most important thing you should know about Brussels: It's a celebration of simplicity, a celebration of Italian art, and there's never been anything amazing.
On the other hand, maybe they are crostini.
As long as I 've been thinking about the difference between the two, I'm still not sure.
My understanding (
Backed up by my tattered copy "Grande encopedia ilota de la gavenomia)
Is Brussels a basic thing?
In addition to the basic olive oil and salt, the only approved topping is a little chopped tomato.
Crostini is more like a snack or cocktail snack than a fan.
Crostini may be a bit more complicated, but bruschetta retains some kind of simple depth.
It's like the difference between pop singles and folk songs.
My definition may or may not be the same as yours.
The good news is that it doesn't matter, we don't have that restriction in California.
But that doesn't mean we shouldn't respect philosophy.
I may be watering the slices with any amount of unapproved ingredients, which breaks the tradition, but I do try to remember that it's simpler and better.
Elegant with constraints.
As long as we are talking about Brussels, please give me a brief introduction --
Yes, of course. rant.
The pronunciation of "ch" is like a hard "c" in Italy, so "bruschetta" is brew-SKET-
Even for a really picky beer --SKATE-a.
Pronunciation of beerSHET-
A is like dragging your nails onto the blackboard, although some very smart and very good people will do so. Chiaro?
When I recently had a dinner party for a good friend, she suggested that we try an idea she saw in the magazine, which the author calls "Brussels bar "--
Toast, olive oil, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil are served for guests to make their own Brussels bread.
I like this idea.
There is nothing more active than forcing guests to prepare their own food for dinner.
This classification doesn't seem particularly generous, so I added a few more ingredients --
Grilled fig, ham and fresh ricotta cheese
Just for a little bit of abbondanza.
It was interesting, but what impressed me later was that even the expanded option was just the beginning.
Especially at this time of year, when the market is filled with the best summer vegetables --
Tomato, eggplant, Pepper
The possibility of ingredients in Brussels is almost limitless.
Offering a plate of toasts, a few bowls of different kinds of cheese and a wide variety of the best vegetables for the summer, prepared in a variety of ways, you have a real Brussels bar.
Guests can do it on their own, add a little roast eggplant to the bread, or roast peppers or chopped tomatoes.
Then there is a small piece of cheese and maybe a little bit of roasted basil or chopped mint.
Or they can mix and match: the eggplant puree is delicious with a pepper.
Encourage them to show some restraint.
When it comes to Brussels, beauty is simple.
Bread is about half an inch thick, or a little less.
Cut it slightly upwards to extend the surface so it can hold more tops.
If you want to be authentic, toast with medium fire until the bread is cooked on both sides.
Cut the unpeeled garlic clove in half and rub the cut side on the bread.
Finally, put olive oil on.
If you have friends who hate garlic
You don't know, do you? )
You can wipe half of the bread with garlic, and the other half is not used.
Be careful when you toast, because the bread is easily scorched;
You can tell when to turn by looking at the top, when to start looking opaque and white, and it's time.
If you want to be safe, you can also arrange the slices on the cookie paper and bake at 400 degrees.
When they start to turn brown at the bottom, it takes about 10 to 15 minutes to flip them and walk another 5 to 10 minutes.
Although they don't have the smoked flavor of the roast, they cook it evenly and there is little danger of burning.
You can usually find 20 to 25 slices from the baguette.
Cheese choose a smeared cheese with a very fresh and clean taste, such as a good brand of ricotta cheese, or a fresh goat (
Even a combination of the two).
Choose a rich cheese, such as Brata cheese or fresh mozzarella cheese.
Choose a salty cheese.
It's a good one-
Shave off long flakes with a vegetable peeler.
A good Tower is another.
Cut it into small dice or simply break it between your fingers.
Fresh herbs are nothing special.
A large bowl of torn basil and a small bowl of chopped fresh parsley or mint is fine.
The most obvious way to Bake eggplant with vegetable eggplant is to bake eggplant on the grill.
This is probably the simplest.
Cut the eggplant in halfto three-quarters-inch thick;
Brush both sides with olive oil and lightly season with salt.
Grill them on medium fire until they are slightly brown and very tender-
Depending on the heat of your fire, it takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
As soon as the eggplant is ready, put it in a container and brush it with garlic --
Add olive oil and fresh herbs such as basil, oregano or mint.
You can also make an Italian baba ghanouj by baking a whole eggplant (
Be sure to pierce it a few times with a fork to prevent the explosion)
Or at 400-degree oven (
On a biscuit paper lined with aluminum foil).
When the eggplant is so soft that it has collapsed (
About 45 minutes)
Tear it apart and dig it out with a fork.
It won't hurt anything if you have a little skin.
Put them in the filter for 15 to 20 minutes to remove any excess moisture.
Then transfer the pulp to the food processing machine and season it with chopped garlic and enough olive oil Coarse mud (
Only a few pulses-
It should be a thick paste, not a smooth one).
Season with salt and pepper.
Steamed eggplant? You bet.
The taste was really pleasant, sweet and delicate, and the texture was like silk.
Cut the eggplant into pieces, season it gently with salt, and cook it in a tightly covered steamer until tender for about five minutes.
While the eggplant is still spicy, add garlic, a little fresh rosemary and some pepper flakes to season it with olive oil and lemon juice.
The most traditional way to prepare eggplant is probably fried.
This is the only preparation that needs to be prepared in advance. salting (
It did improve the taste of fried eggplant, but it was not baked, steamed and roasted).
Cut the eggplant into large pieces or dice and season it with salt.
Place the eggplant in a colander, weigh it with a plate or bowl and have it stand for at least an hour (
Put it in a sink or bowl to capture the discharged liquid).
Rinse it quickly and shoot it dry.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add onions.
After softening, add a little garlic.
When it is fragrant, add the eggplant pieces and cook for about 10 minutes until they are slightly brown and tender.
Cool in a bowl and season with red wine vinegar before serving.
Tomatoes have no more basic vegetables than tomatoes, and there is no more basic preparation than simple ribs.
Beat the tomatoes into the core, cut them horizontally into two halves and squeeze out the seeds.
Cut properly and season with salt, garlic and olive oil before serving. Basta.
As long as you are on fire, you 'd better bake the tomatoes.
Beat them into the core, cut them in half, and squeeze out the seeds.
Put them in the grill basket and cook them with medium fire until they are slightly burnt for about five minutes.
Brush regularly with garlic
Add olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
You can also mix the tomatoes: choose the plum tomatoes for this and cut their core in half vertically.
Put them in a baking tray with a few peeled whole cloves of garlic.
Pour enough olive oil, season with salt and pepper and bake at 350 degrees until the tomatoes shrink and the garlic soften and the whole thing smells like heaven.
Pepper probably the most luxurious Brussels bread you can make is a kind of bread decorated with roasted pepper.
The texture and depth of the taste are amazing.
It is also easy to make: bake the whole chillies with medium fire until they are scorched and withered by all parties (
Don't worry if there are black spots).
Put them in a bowl, cover them with a towel and let them steam for five minutes.
When they cool down enough to handle, just pull the burnt skin away with your fingers.
Tear the pepper into pieces and season it with sliced garlic, salt, and sherry vinegar (
Or, if you have one, a good old balto balsamico).
Peppers can also be baked in the oven on a 400 degree Jelly Roll.
If it doesn't work for you for some reason, try peperonata-style topping.
Stir-fry onions with medium heat in olive oil until they become fairly Brown for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Add chopped peppers and garlic to cook simply, pour a little red wine and continue cooking for about 15 minutes until the peppers wither.
Season with salt and red wine vinegar. russ. Parson @ latimes.