Bruschetta, The Taste of Summer

Nothing makes use of the wonderful tastes of fresh garden vegetables like homemade Bruschetta.  Fresh sun-ripen tomatoes, blocky bell peppers, juicy red onions -- you can't go wrong.  Also, take advantage of the fresh herbs in your herb bed.  Cilantro or coriander is the stuff that gives salsa its tang.  Essentially you are making a fresh salsa for this recipe.  Parsley and green onions are also a nice addition.

I like to have a selection of breads to use as a base.  Today, I happened to have some rye bread (particularly nice), some whole wheat flatbreads, and some of those wonderful new flat bagels (poppy-seed, whole wheat). Pumpernickel is nice, as are any other artisan breads you prefer.  Remember it is only a base for all the fresh goodness, but it does determine the character.

Sorry my lighting was a little off, didn't realize until after the fact.

The Ingredients:

1 or 2 large tomatoes

1 red onion

1 red or green bell pepper

1 Jalapeno pepper

2-3 green onions
fresh garlic cloves
Fresh herbs - cilantro, parsley, basil

Assortment of sliced breads

1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese

1. Spread your breads out on a baking sheet. Cut a garlic clove in half and rub each slice of bread.  Or if you really like garlic, you can simply chop it fine and add to step two.

Essentially fresh salsa -- mmmm!

2. Dice the tomato, pepper and onions very fine.
3. Cut the green onions and herbs with scissors and mix all the fresh ingredients together.

4. Divide the veggie mixture up on top of the bread.
5. Crumble the Feta over each individual slice.
6. Bake in the oven, at 300 F for about 20 minutes, until the Feta just starts to brown - do not over-bake, as you will start to lose the fresh vegetable taste. The onions and peppers should still have some crunch left.

Serve hot, right from the oven.  It makes a great lunch meal by itself, or a veggie/starch combo for a main meal.

And that is about all I have to say for today.

Musings and meanderings from the Musical Gardener.