Bruschetta With Swiss Chard And Smoked Trout Food

BRUSCHETTA WITH SWISS CHARD AND SMOKED TROUT

Steps:

• Stem the chard, and wash the leaves and stems in two rinses of water. Cut the stems in small dice. Blanch the chard leaves in salted boiling water (or steam them) for one to two minutes until tender. Transfer to a bowl of ice water, then drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop medium-fine.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the chard stalks. Cook, stirring often, until tender, five to eight minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, and cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chopped chard leaves, and toss together for about a minute. Remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Lightly toast the bread, and rub with the cut garlic. Brush with the remaining olive oil. Top with the chard, and press down with the back of a spoon. Use a fork to flake the trout, and place on top. Squeeze on a few drops of lemon juice, and serve.

BRUSCHETTAS WITH SAUTEED CHARD

Steps:

• Bring a very large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt. If the stems of the chard are tough, remove them entirely from the leaves and discard. (If the stems are tender, simply cut the stems off at the base of the leaves and discard.) Wash the leaves thoroughly. Immerse the chard in the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes exactly from the moment you get all the leaves in the pot. Drain immediately but don¿t squeeze out the liquid.
• Warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan. Add the sliced garlic and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the chard, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and saute for 3 minutes, tossing frequently with tongs.
• Meanwhile, toast or grill 8 slices of bread. When they're nicely browned, rub one side of each slice of bread with a cut side of the halved garlic. Place 2 slices of toasted bread on each plate, garlic side up, and use tongs to distribute the chard onto the toasts. Sprinkle each serving with lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, grated Parmesan cheese, and some fleur de sel. Drizzle the bruschetta with olive oil and serve warm. The liquid from the greens will be absorbed into the bread.

BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir, lightly frying for about a minute, removing before the garlic gets too brown (it can be golden). Pour the garlic and oil into a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.
• Add the red and yellow tomatoes, balsamic and basil to the bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine, and then taste and add more basil if needed, and more salt if needed (don't over salt, though!) Cover and refrigerate for an hour or two if you have the time.
• Cut the baguette into diagonal slices to allow for the most surface area possible. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet and grill half the bread on both sides, making sure they're nice and buttery. Cook until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the other half of the bread.
• To serve, give the tomato mixture a final stir, and then spoon generously over the slices of bread. Serve on a big platter as a first course or appetizer.

BRUSCHETTA WITH SWISS CHARD, PINE NUTS AND CURRANTS

Steps:

• Place 1/4 cup currants in small bowl. Add enough warm water to cover currants. Soak 20 minutes. Drain well. Preheat oven to 450°F. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant and pale golden, about 1 minute. Add Swiss chard. Sauté until chard is wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in pine nuts and currants. Season mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• Arrange bread in single layer on baking sheet. Bake bread until golden, about 5 minutes. Brush remaining 1 tablespoon oil over bread slices. Top with warm chard mixture, dividing equally. Arrange on platter and serve.