Summer's here although it still feels like spring. Oh well, as long as its not snowing, I'll take it.
One of the best things about summer is the produce.
Its almost embarrassing to say it but my retail therapy has taken on a completely different meaning now a days. I'm truly happy when I go shopping for fruits and veggies!
The market is full of gorgeous, ripe and luscious fruits and quite a few of them are organic at very reasonable prices. Yah!
Mangoes and cherries and berries......oh my!
I'm in fruit heaven, if there is such a thing.
Oh and I have to share...look at this pretty heirloom tomato I picked up the other day.
One of my favorite things to make during summers is Bruschetta.
I just love the combination of tomatoes with olive oil, balsamic and garlic. I usually don't make this in winters because the tomatoes taste like nothing. So to make up for it, we eat it fairly often at this time of the year when the tomatoes are oh so flavorful.
Don't go putting them in the fridge now...they lose flavor immediately.
So yeah....we eat it very often as an appetizer although I have been known to make a meal out of it. Make some soup and some good cheese and you have a nice summery meal.
If you eat this at a restaurant, they usually have the tomatoes without seeds. I usually leave everything in for a more rustic appeal. (Actually, I'm just lazy and the seeds have Vitamin C in them so its hard to justify discarding them)
Ingredients - french baguette sliced into thin slices
- 6-8 plum tomatoes chopped with or w/o seeds
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves chopped or 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 or 2 cloves whole garlic slightly crushed
- salt
- crushed black pepper
In a bowl, place the chopped tomatoes and basil. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add the seasonings and crushed garlic. Let the mixture sit for 15-20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375. Place the sliced bread on a baking sheet and bake for a few minutes till toasted. If you like a strong garlic flavor, rub the toast with a piece of garlic.
To serve: Top each slice of the mixture with 1-2 tablespoons of the tomato mixture. Eat right away!
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14 comments:
nice yummy recipe
Oh wow looks yum...
Vitamin c or not I keep the seeds .. I mean am lazy enough not to go about carefully deseeding a mere tomato! But ... after seeing that snap I'll take the 'mere' back. :-)
Love garlic & black pepper .. so love that bruschetta. :-)
I once had it in Bucadi Beppo (I don't know if you have it there, but there are a couple of branches in PA) and cursed myself for ordering it. It was sooooooooo salty. I'm going to try it myself. Thanks for the recipe Bharti.
heirloom tomato eh? I am yet to see it. I have never made Bruschetta at home, always had it at restaurants. I know, I know the recipe is so easy and simple.Will keep your recipe in mind.
nice recipe...I love them
Even though I love these I have yet to make them at home, looks simple and inviting...definitely a must try recipe !
Lovely heirloom tomatoes,I gotta pick some next time.I wouldn't remove the seeds either:)
I love your bruschetta I bet it was really tasty especialy using the balsamic vinegar.
My favorite too. I made some last week but the pics (unlike your beautiful slices!) were just not good enough to post.
Its sooo good! I use a galricboss to rub garlic on my bruschetta I can't live without it or bruschetta :=)
I love bruschetta too - I planted 8 different kind of tomatoes in my garden this year!
I think one of the best ways to eat heirlooms is the way you have presented it here.
That's a gorgeous heirloom tomato in the first picture! I can't wait for the summer tomatoes to come rolling in to make this recipe.
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