Crostini with Three Toppings

Note: This is part of the Glamping episode where we featured a cocktail menu. I separated the recipes out individually to provide you with a better search option.

Even if you don't have an oven you can make crostini. I know a women who wooed her now husband with her skills of using a blow torch to make crostini outside her Teardrop. If you don't have an oven in your small space, use a grill or fire pit and your cast iron.

Crostini with Three Toppings

Prep time:10 minutes                                     

Cooking time: 15 minutes

1 baguette, sliced thinly (about 20 slices)

Olive oil

To make crostini, preheat the oven to 350°. Place baguette slices on a cookie sheet and brush with olive oil or place bread slices in a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and toss. Place on cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 10 to fifteen minutes or until crisp and golden brown. This is a great way to use day old bread. You can make them when you have leftover bread and store in an airtight container for a few weeks. A more energy efficient option might be to grill the crostini in a cast iron pan on your stove top or campfire. Just be sure to check for color and rearrange throughout cooking as there will most likely be hot spots and you don't want to burn the bread. If you do, just call it "rustic".

Toppings:

1. Goat Cheese and Grilled Asparagus

Cypress GroveFromage Blanc goat cheese or your favorite fresh goat cheese (chèvre)

Leftover grilled or roasted asparagus, sliced on the diagonal (great way to use up pre-cooked vegetables, peppers, onions, broccoli, eggplant, etc).

Jacobsen’s Sea Salt

Fresh ground pepper

A lemon wedge or two

Just prior to serving, spread soft cheese on crostini. Top with sliced asparagus. Place on a platter. When the platter is full, squeeze the lemon wedges over the crostini, sprinkle with salt and grind a little fresh pepper on top. You could also garnish with some fresh chopped herbs or lemon zest.

2. Goat Cheese and Pickled Peppers

Cypress GroveFromage Blanc goat cheese, chèvre or cream cheese

Mama Lil’sPickled Peppers in garlic oil

Spread cheese on crostini. Top with a few pickled peppers and a little bit of their oil. Place on a platter and serve.

3. Smoked Trout Spread

¼ lb. smoked trout, skin removed and flaked

2 Tbls. mascarpone cheese (or softened butter)

Chopped zest of one lemon

2 tsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. chopped thyme leaves or fresh dill

¼ tsp kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

Thyme or dill leaves for garnish

Place trout in a small bowl.  Add cheese, lemon juice and zest. Using a fork, mash together until well combined. Add thyme, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix, taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon if needed. Spread trout mixture on crostini, place on a platter, garnish with herbs and additional pepper and serve.

Seared Albacore Tuna in Charmoula

When you start with fresh ingredients it doesn’t take a big kitchen to create something fabulous.

Fish is often "misunderstood". This very easy recipe will give you immense flavor and is almost fail proof.

Seared Albacore Tuna in Charmoula (Morrocan marinade and sauce)

1 lb. Albacore tuna loin

Charmoula

1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

¾cup parsley leaves, chopped

1-2 small garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. smoked paprika

¼ tsp. ground coriander

pinch of cayenne pepper

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbls. fresh lemon juice

1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced (or if using jarred, about ½ cup)

Prepare Charmoula sauce. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir to combine and adjust seasonings to taste with salt, lemon juice and cayenne.

Place tuna loin on a plate and rub with a few tablespoons of Charmoula. Set aside to marinate no longer than 30 minutes as the acid in the lemon juice will begin to "cook" the tuna.

Heat a cast iron pan on medium high heat. The pan should just begin to smoke. Add a film of olive oil and then carefully add the tuna. Cook on each side about 1-2 minutes or until you have just cooked the outside edges and it is still nice and pink on the interior. When  you have seared all sides, remove from the pan and set on a cutting board. Let rest about 10 minutes. Slice in ¼ inch slices and fan out onto a serving platter. Add the roasted peppers to the remaining Charmoula and pour on top of the tuna to serve. This is delicious with a side of couscous, steamed rice or roasted potatoes. Sliced avocado would be a lovely addition as well. Seared tuna also make a perfect hot weather meal atop a simple green salad.

Encores: Sauté tuna in a little olive oil and toss with pasta or white beans, roasted peppers, additional cilantro and sliced green onions. Ripe, in-season tomatoes would also pair well. Tuna can also be cooked, cooled, flaked and used in tuna salad. Just substitute Charmoula instead of the traditional mayonnaise dressing, add some sliced olives and diced cucumber or whatever your prefer and you will be delighted with this new twist on an old favorite.

French Press – The Small Kitchen Leatherman

Every trailer chick knows that it’s not how many kitchen tools you have that matters, but the versatility in each of them. Each kitchen gadget has to function like a Leatherman. When space is at a premium, it’s important to make sure every kitchen tool does more than one job. My rule is that every tool has to do double duty before it’s brought on board my land yacht. My French press does just that.

Rarely is such a work horse able to do so much and still sit beautifully on a counter top. Since most French presses are made with a glass cylinder (highly recommended) they are ideal for hot and cold applications and won’t trap strong and lingering flavors like garlic or ginger. Cleaning is a cinch; the plunger unscrews to quickly rinse out the screen. You can go from coffee to colander in under 10 seconds.

For the most versatility, get an eight cup press. Then, consider it for some new tasks:

§  Straining pasta

§  Soaking beans

§  Washing rice

§  Infused teas

§  Cocktails

§  Sangria

If you have never used a French press, Bodum has some easy directions for use and maintenance.