Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Bruschetta

Cook Time: 10 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 36 bruschetta

Ingredients

* 1 (32-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
* 1 cup fresh basil leaves, washed and spun dry
* 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 6 cloves garlic, peeled
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 large French baquettes, sliced 1-inch thick (about 36 slices)
* 1 1/2 pounds fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In the bowl of a food processor, add drained tomatoes, 1 cup basil
leaves, olive oil and 2 cloves garlic. Pulse until smooth, but
somewhat chunky. Season with salt and pepper.

On a baking sheet, line up baguette slices. Toast in oven for about 3
minutes or until light golden brown. Working quickly, rub the
remaining garlic on the toasted side of each slice and then lay a
piece of mozzarella cheese on top. Place bread back in oven and melt
cheese slightly, about 45 seconds. Remove from oven and spread one
tablespoon of the tomato mixture on each piece.

Place bruschetta on decorative platter and garnish with basil leaves.

Grilled Eggplant and Goat Cheese Salad

Cook Time: 8 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4-6 appetizer servings

Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 7 Japanese eggplant, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch wide slices
* 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
* 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
* 1/3 cup basil, thinly sliced
* 2 tablespoons chopped mint
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal
grill. Drizzle the olive oil over the slices of eggplant and toss to
coat. Grill the eggplants until tender and grill marks appear, about 3
to 4 minutes per side.

Place the eggplants side-by-side on a serving platter. Sprinkle with
the pine nuts, goat cheese, basil, and mint. Drizzle with extra-virgin
olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Cook's note: Plating the eggplant salad this way allowed the cheese to
stay bright white. The salt and pepper showed up on it. The herbs
remained green and fluffy. The grill marks on the eggplant were
distinct.

Baked Caprese Salad

Cook Time: 10 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 8-12 appetizer servings

Ingredients

* 1 loaf baguette, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices (about 30 to 36 slices)
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 5 Roma tomatoes, sliced
* 1 1/4 pounds fresh mozzarella, sliced
* 1 bunch fresh basil leaves, stemmed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Arrange the sliced baguette bread on a baking sheet. Brush with some
of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until the bread is pale
golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven. Top each
slice of bread with a slice of tomato and sprinkle with salt and
pepper. Top each slice of tomato with a slice of mozzarella and
sprinkle with salt. Return the baking sheet to the oven until the
cheese and tomato are warmed, about 5 minutes.

Arrange the toasts on a serving platter. Top each toast with a basil
leaf. Using the brush, drizzle the remaining olive oil over the basil.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve.