Bruschetta

I’m sitting in my rocking chair on the front porch the other evening as my dog paces back and forth like he has won the lottery and doesn’t know where he buried his ticket.  Can’t I just relax? I’m also admiring the horses just across our quiet country road. 

I’ve thrown back a couple and seeing how my karma meter is tipping to E, I figure I'd give the ponies a treat. So I proceed to the fridge and grab a couple carrots.  Why carrots? They are longer than apples meaning less chance to have those horse teeth gnawing on my seasoning fingers.  

I walked across the road with my offering and tried to entice the horses towards me. As I leaned over the rope with my carrots I learn this “rope” is hot as it zapped my right hip. Thank god I didn’t come in parallel if you know what I mean.  After devouring both carrots, he tried to take a hunk out of my bicep.

So much for not biting hand that feeds you. .

Walking back to my house I got to thinking about the lowly carrot.  It’s not really in right now.  Nobody writes about them, nobody talks about them, nobody is making carrot chips. They are Kale of the eighties. Everyone is too enamored with Heirloom tomatoes, which brings me to the point of this post.

A couple weeks ago I had this pizza where carrots were tomatoes.  That’s right, instead of the usual marinara base, there was carrot puree, topped with walnuts, blue cheese, beet’s and red onion. I figure what’s good for pizza is good for bruschetta, so if you’re looking for that unique appetizer to jump start your next summer dinner party, its right here.

So humble. Don’t fret my little carrots, soon the fickle foodies will have you back on top of the world.

Peel and slice the carrots. Then arrange them in some foil with salt, black pepper, a little garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and a couple sprigs of rosemary.  Wrap it up and put in a 400 degree oven.

 This will take about 45 minutes to cook.  They are ready when you can insert a knife without any resistance. 

Discard the rosemary and transfer carrots to a blender or food processor

Flip the switch to puree, it should look like this

.

Now for the bruschetta, slice a baguette on the bias

Brush with olive oil and bake for 5 minutes or so

They should be lightly toasted, firm to the touch.  Now let's assemble the other ingredients. Julienne some beets

Chop some walnuts, crumble some blue

Then assemble these little beauties. Spoon on the puree, then add the beets, blue cheese and finally sprinkle with the nuts

Break out these puppies for your next dinner party and watch your guest salivate. 

Salute!