Sam Stern’s bruschetta recipes from his new book, Virgin to Veteran - How to Get Cooking with Confidence

BRUSCHETTA

from the new book from Sam Stern, Virgin to Veteran - How to Get Cooking with Confidence

Healthy/Fast/Feeds 2

Bruschetta… Italian for great-tasting stuff on toast. Here are three sweet toppings which work whether you’re cooking for yourself or the masses.

INGREDIENTS

1 garlic clove

4 x 2.5cm thick bread slices (ciabatta/French stick/country loaf)

a little olive oil

PREP Cut the garlic clove in half widthways. Make your topping of choice (see below).

COOK Put a griddle pan onto a high heat. Brush the bread lightly with oil. Griddle for a minute or two on each side till crisp and marked up.

PLATE Rub each bit of bread with the cut garlic clove before spooning over your chosen topping

TOPPINGS

1 BROAD BEAN AND WENSLEYDALE

Put a pan of water on to heat with a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil. Add 110g broad beans (fresh or frozen) and simmer for 5–6 minutes till tender (test one). Drain into a colander. Cool under running water. Remove and discard their outer skins. Toss into a bowl. Add 30g roughly crumbled Wensleydale cheese, 3 tsp olive oil and 2 tsp lemon juice. Roughly mash the mix with a fork, leaving some good chunks. Taste and season lightly, adjusting the oil and lemon if needed.

2 TOMATO AND BLACK OLIVE

Slice 8–12 good-quality cherry or baby plum tomatoes in half lengthwise, slice in half again and tip into a bowl. Chop 6 black olives (if the stones are still in, remove them first by cutting round using a small, sharp knife) and add to the bowl with half a diced shallot. Add 1 tbsp oil,

a pinch each of salt and sugar, a little black pepper and a few rocket or basil leaves, if you like, and mix well.

3 HOT MIXED MUSHROOMS

Clean 350g mixed mushrooms (e.g. portobello, chestnut or oyster) with kitchen paper, trim if needed and slice into 1cm thick pieces. Put a heavy-bottomed medium frying pan over a medium heat with 50g butter and a drop or two of oil. Add a finely diced shallot and 1 crushed garlic clove and cook, stirring for a minute or two.

Add a small glass of white wine and bring to the boil. Lower to a simmer and add the mushrooms and a small pinch of dried thyme. Cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft but still holding their shape. Season to taste. Remove from the heat, stir through 1½ tbsp double cream/crème fraîche and squeeze over a little lemon juice.

-//-

BONUS BITES - MUSHROOM AND TARRAGON TARTS

Make up the mushroom topping (see above) adding a pinch of dried or chopped tarragon. Spread on a base of thinly rolled bought all-butter puff pastry cut into large circles or as you like. Bake for 20 minutes at 200°C/Gas 6 or till the base is crisp.

CHANGE IT UP

Try rubbing the bread with a lemon or fresh rosemary/basil leaves instead of garlic.

For further details about the book and to watch Sam making the bruschetta recipes, please go to: http://www.virgintoveteran.com/

 Photography (C) CHRIS TERRY

 

Two Greedy Italians - Still Hungry - second episode is on at 8pm, 26.04.12

David Chater’s preview of tonight’s programme in The Times

“First, the pair

cook red mullet with tomatoes, anchovies and porcini mushrooms.  Next they make a baked dish out of layers of potato and cabbage, and finally they serve up torn sheets of pasta tossed in freshly made pesto.  It would be worth buying the book

for these recipes alone.”

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About The Authors

Antonio Carluccio

(pictured on the left) is one of Italy’s great food ambassadors. He has written fourteen bestselling books, including Complete Italian Food, Complete Mushroom Book, Italia and Simple Cooking and has also made numerous television programmes. With Priscilla Carluccio he ran the Neal Street Restaurant in London’s Covent Garden and spent 10 years developing the hugely successful Carluccio’s Caffés. In 1998 he was given the Commendatore award – the equivalent of a British knighthood – for his knowledge, enthusiasm and lifetime’s service to the Italian food industry. In 2007 he received the O.B.E.

Gennaro Contaldo

(pictured left) is widely known as the Italian legend who taught Jamie Oliver all he knows about Italian cooking. He is also a highly respected chef in London and a renowned personality in his own right. Gennaro’s quintessentially Italian spirit has made him a TV favourite, regularly appearing on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen.

To win a copy of the forthcoming book,

just answer this simple question:

What is the date of the first episode of the new series and also the date of Antonio’s 75th Birthday? <Clue: it’s one and the same>

Is it:

(a) 19.04.12

or

(b) 31.04.12?

To enter, you need to reply via twitter  @QuadrilleFood with both the date and the name of the book in two hashtags.  All entries must be received before 12noon on 1.04.12. Don’t be an april fool by missing out!

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All photography* (C) David Loftus

* except book jacket for Two Greedy Italians (C) Chris Terry