Begin what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand and melting like a snowflake. – Sir Francis Bacon
With sheltering-at-home and circuit breaker measures in place these past weeks, we got creative with using up every last bit of food in our pantry and refrigerator. There were hot dog buns 🌭left over from making Halloumi Egg Sandwiches and a couple of plum tomatoes 🍅, and just like that, we were making bruschetta. Sure we cheated a little, we had to make a quick run to the nearby grocery store for fresh basil and I am sooo glad that we can even do that. I’m tellin’ ya, it’s the small graces.
Bruschetta brings to mind the best of summer and the outdoors… (wistful sigh). Fruits and vegetables are ripening, days are long, having cold beers actually make sense. What is there not to like? Though the weather is not quite what we would call ‘summer’ right now, what with being forced to stay indoors with occasional thunderstorms and 75% humidity outside, we exercise our imaginations. Bruschetta also recalls Italian countrysides and bucolic pastures, goats and chickens, endless fields and eternal skies… (more wistful sighs). Another quick appetizer that we love but associate more with spring is St. Patrick’s Deviled Salmon Cucumber Rounds, but truly it is just as good year-round. Imagination, friends 😃. So pour a cold one, bring on the bruschetta and let us toast to summer!
Tips:
- Traditional bruschetta is served on garlic bread. I think it serving it on plain toasted bread works just as well, in which case just skip the step of rubbing garlic over the bread.
- Any kind of bread works, this is great for using up bread that is about to become stale.
- Garnish with fresh mint for a more refreshing snack.
- 3 tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 clove garlic, sliced in half
- 3 Tbsp fresh basil, thinly sliced or finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper to taste
- Extra basil and mint leaves (optional garnish)
- 2 hot dog buns, sliced down the middle and buttered on both sides
- Make a small, shallow incision at the rounded end of the tomatoes. Blanch in boiling water for 1 min. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the hot dog buns. Rub the sliced garlic over the buttered buns. Place in a hot skillet for about 30 - 60 sec, pressing down lightly with the back of a spatula, until toasted to your liking. Check often to avoid burning. Remove from skillet and slice into ½" thick pieces.
- Remove skins from cooled tomatoes and chop finely. Add garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt. Mix well. If there is too much liquid, remove some with a spoon. Stir in basil and black pepper.
- Assembly: Spoon tomato mixture carefully onto toast. Serve with mint and extra basil.
Any kind of bread works, great for using up bread that is about to get stale.
Garnish with fresh mint for a more refreshing snack.
On the bookshelf:
“The Pocket Book of Mindfulness: Live in the Moment and Reduce Stress” is a beautiful, simple book of reminders, saying and quotes thoughtfully compiled and categorized by Jane Maple. Every entry is meaningfully curated. Best ingested in small doses, I am reminded of goodness and beauty amidst this craziness that is the pandemic. “Gratitude turns what we have into enough” – Aesop
Tried a recipe? Good or bad, we want to hear from you. Please add a comment below, or share a photo with the hashtag #gingerandcilantro or by tagging @gingerandcilantro.blog on Instagram.
Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter for all of the latest recipes and updates.
