appetizer as dinner

I've been trying to bake bread. So far it's hit or miss, with the hits coming almost solely from the no-knead bread recipe full deserving of it's fame.

Last week I tried to make some french baguettes from Mark Bittman's excellent book "How to Cook Everything." They weren't awful, just a little denser than I'd like (I think more yeast next time or starting w/ slightly warmer water will help.)

So I had a meh baguette and lots of veggies from the farm box and about zero desire to cook dinner- what to do?

easy-peasy bruschetta to the rescue!




You'll need:

• baguette
  
• olive oil
• garlic
  
• haricots verts (green beans, I'm just feeling fancy today)
  
• salami
  
• garlic
• tomatoes (I had small yellow cherry tomatoes)
• salt & pepper to taste

1. cut baguette into slices on the slight diagonal
2. drizzle cookie sheet w/ olive oil, place bread on top and drizzle w/ more oil
3. broil bread until golden brown

I was really lazy an not in the mood for complex cooking so did this the easy way, but you could be far more gourmet about it than I was

1. chop haricots verts into 1/2 inch pieces
2. chop salami into small cubes
3. put beans and salami in microwave steamer and nuke until beans are just tender but still have a some crunch
4. mince garlic
5. thinly slice tomatoes
6. add tomatoes and garlic to beans and salami
7. add a little olive oil
8. salt & pepper to taste
9. microwave another 30 seconds or so
10. place bread on plates
11. top w/ veggie-meat mixture
12. serve