We are sharing our Easter meal with friends this year at our house and I am looking for something different. I just came across this recipe for crostini

http://www.kitchendaily.com/recipe/crostini-with-herbed-goat-cheese-honey-and-walnuts-143186/

doesn't that sound good ?  What are you cooking/baking ?

Anna

One of my favorite uses for several days old sourdough bread is crostini. These little open-faced sandwiches can be topped with all sorts of meat spreads or vegetable combinations. They are very traditional in Tuscany as antipasti. I am usually prompted to make them when I get a chicken that includes the giblets. A spread of chicken liver, generally sautéed and mashed with diced vegetables, wine and herbs is among the most common topping for crostini, although I often flavor mine more in a French style with shallots, dry white wine, thyme and tarragon than in the Italian style.

Another traditional Italian topping for crostini is cavolo nero. This is a very dark green, curly-leafed kale which has a wonderful flavor. It is also delicious mixed with crumbled Italian sausage in a sandwich, on pizza or with pasta. This time of year, there is lots of cavolo nero in our local farmer's market, and tonight I made crostini di cavolo nero as an appetizer to eat while the trout and fennel gratin were finishing baking. I adapted the recipe from Flavors of Tuscany, by Maxine Clark.

Ingredients

6 thin slices of crusty sourdough bread

3 T EVOO, plus more for brushing the bread

10 oz (more or less) Cavolo nero, leaves cut from the tough central stem and cut into thin shreds.

2-3 garlic cloves, sliced thin

Sea salt and fresh-ground pepper

1 T balsamic vinegar

Fresh herbs to garnish (optional)

Procedure

Pre-heat oven to 375ºF

Brush both sides of the bread slices with olive oil, place the bread on a baking pan and bake for 10 minutes, turning once. They should be browned somewhat. Keep them warm.

In a 10-12 inch sauté pan or in a wok, sauté the garlic in 3 T olive oil on medium heat until they just start to color (about 1 minute).

Turn up the heat to medium-high. Add the cavolo nero and a dash of water. Season with salt and pepper. Toss and stir continuously.

When the cavolo nero is limp (1-2 minutes), add the balsamic vinegar. Continue to cook and stir until the vinegar has evaporated.

Place generous portions of the cavolo nero on the toasts and serve immediately.

Slices of bread (SFBI Artisan II Miche), ready to brush with olive oil and toast

De-stemming cavolo nero

Mis en place - balsamic vinegar, sliced garlic, shredded cavolo nero

Buon appetito!

David

Submitted to YeastSpotting

The sourdough bread is cool enough to slice, and the oven is now free to roast the chicken for dinner. The chicken liver, heart and gizzard are sitting there, forlorn and neglected. Don't let it happen! Make crostini! 

Crostini
2 T olive oil 
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
1 large chicken liver, chopped very fine
1 chicken gizzard chopped very fine 
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
Dash or two of salt
4-6 grindings of black pepper
3 T of Marsala  

 Heat a small frying pan on medium heat. Add olive oil and shallots. Saute until translucent. 

Add the gizzard and saute to brown (2-4 minutes). Then add the liver and saute until no longer pink, mashing the mixture while it is cooking.

Add the salt and pepper and tarragon and mix well.

Add the marsala and let evaporate, mixing frequently, until the mixture is still moist, but there is no free liquid left.

Transfer to a small bowl and serve with thin slices of sourdough baguette.

Enjoy!

David