So my mom has this idea in her head that I only cook "gourmet" dishes. I assume she thinks this because whenever I talk about cooking it tends to be dishes I'm making for an event, something I put extra special time into. Because of this
delusion belief, she will literally call me up and say "Hey off the top of your head do you know of a fancy dish I can make for forty-five people by tomorrow night, 1/3 of which are vegetarian, sprinkle in some vegans,bacon--lovers, & lactose intolerants all of which costs only $20?" I swear I feel like it's word-problems week in math class again. Which believe me, wasn't pretty.
The truth is, if you find me on a regular Monday night I'm probably boiling some whole wheat pasta or sauteing some awesome Trader Joe's frozen meal. I know, don't tell my mom. Her idealistic bubble will burst.
Her beliefs in my cooking style have actually started to
shape my cooking style. She is like this nagging little voice in the back of my head that says, "Now Rachel, that ingredient sounds a bit
plaaiin, doesn't it?" "Oh sweetie, Russet Potatoes are soo last century". It can be pretty hard on a delicate psyche.
The positive is that because of these neuroses I do tend to experiment with cooking. My aunt always boasts that I'm "never afraid to try anything" (this isn't always applied in a complimentary way lol) which when it comes to food is pretty true. You will not find me sky-diving or spider touching, I keep my adventures to one department
When I saw this recipe for Strawberry Bruschetta I knew I had to try it. Granted I did have an inkling it would be delicious, based of my love of the Strawberry/Goat Cheese combination, but still it's a bit more exciting than regular bruschetta. I do love that too though.
This stuff is like melt in your mouth, catch a glimpse of God on it's way down good. At least to me.
Roasting the strawberries in the balsamic vinegar somehow manages to bring out their sweetness, & softens the tartness of the vinegar.
Next time I will add more goat cheese, forget the garlic salt (I added it to the bread before broiling--my bad) & maybe add a wee bit o'sugar to the strawberry mixture. It was pretty sweet naturally, but the dang bf's sweet tooth has been rubbing off on me lately!
Roasted Strawberry Bruschetta
Modified from Puccini and Pinetti Ingredients
2 cups strawberries, hulled
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 loaf ciabatta bread
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup soft goat cheese
1 cup baby arugula
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Slice the strawberries into a bowl and gently mix to coat with the balsamic vinegar. Spread strawberries out on a baking sheet and bake for five minutes. Remove and let cool.
- Cut the ciabatta into equal slices, coat with olive oil, and broil on each side until toasted and crisp.
- Spread goat cheese on hot bread, top equally with the roasted berries and juice. Set a few pieces of arugula on each. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!
Seriously, yum. Thank you
yumsugar!
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