Bruschetta 3 ways for a satisfying picnic main dish
There are few dishes more elemental and satisfying than bruschetta. A mainstay at many Italian restaurants, it's an appetizer comprising slices of grilled bread adorned with any number of toppings.
According to Italian cookbook author Marcella Hazan, bruschetta likely originated in ancient Rome. Olive growers who brought their produce there to be pressed would sample the flavor of the fresh-squeezed oil on toasted slices of bread. (The word is derived from the Roman verb “bruscare,” meaning “to roast over coals.”)
I like to make bruschetta on my stovetop grill at home during the colder months. It's a winning accompaniment to just about any soup or stew and a reliable favorite with the family.
Having recently come to the conclusion that there was no good reason why this simple and tasty concoction should be limited to an appetizer or side dish, I have here chosen to cast bruschetta as the star of a summer picnic.
As noted, bruschetta is simple to make. But you need to work with high-quality ingredients if you want it to turn out beautifully. Start with a loaf of fresh and crusty rustic bread. Then brush each slice of bread with your very best extra-virgin olive oil before it heads for the grill.
When the bread comes off the grill, and while it's still hot, rub one side of each slice with a cut clove of garlic. Then top it off with a light sprinkling of sea salt. By the way, this technique works just as well using a grill pan in the kitchen as it does with a grill outdoors.
This recipe spells out three different toppings, all vaguely Mediterranean: a white bean salad with fresh fennel thickened with mashed beans so that the filling sticks to the bread; smoked salmon rillettes — finely-chopped salmon flavored with capers, lemon and fresh herbs and bound with sour cream; and a chopped Greek salad. Again, I recommend using your best extra-virgin olive oil for the dressings. Each topping yields roughly two cups which should be ample to top four large slices of grilled bread.
But bruschetta is nothing if not basic, meaning that just about any filling you'd ordinarily put between two slices of bread will also work as a topping for bruschetta: egg salad, tuna salad, runny cheese, hummus, grilled vegetables, you name it. Just bring the toppings in jars to the picnic, step aside, and watch everyone go for theirs. No one's going to wonder where the sandwiches are when bruschetta is on the picnic menu.
Start to finish: 20 minutesServings: 41 cup coarsely chopped cherry tomatoes½ cup ¼-inch dice seedless cucumber½ cup finely cubed or crumbled feta1/3 cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives¼ cup chopped pepperoncini2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil2 tablespoons shredded fresh basilKosher salt and black pepper to tasteIn a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and stir gently until just combined.Chill until ready to serve.
Start to finish: 10 minutesServings: 412 slices ½-inch thick rustic breadExtra-virgin olive oil for brushing the bread1 garlic clove, halvedKosher saltPreheat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Brush both sides of the bread slices with the oil.Add the bread to the preheated grill, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until bread is nicely browned on both sides (about 1 minute a side).Remove the bread from the pan and, while it's still hot, rub one side of each slice with a cut clove of garlic, then sprinkle it very lightly with kosher salt.
Start to finish: 25 minutesServings: 48 ounces smoked salmon, finely chopped¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt2 tablespoons minced shallot2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives, tarragon or dill or a mix2 tablespoons well drained capers, chopped1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice2 teaspoons Dijon mustardblack pepper to tasteIn a bowl combine all the ingredients and stir gently until just combined.Chill until ready to serve.
Start to finish: 25 minutesServings: 41/3 cup minced red onionOne 15½-ounce can white beans1/3 cup finely diced fresh fennel or celery1 teaspoon minced garlic2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano½ teaspoon hot pepper flakes (optional)Kosher saltIn a bowl of ice and water, soak the onion for 15 minutes, drain and pat dry.Drain and rinse the white beans and pat them dry. In a medium bowl, mash the beans using a potato masher, leaving about half in large pieces and the rest mashed.Add the onion, fennel, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, hot pepper flakes and salt to taste and stir well.Chill until ready to serve.
