Marinated Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini

Ingredients
8 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons minced shallots
Zest and juice of 1 lemon, divided
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
8 fresh figs, diced or sliced in rings
1 teaspoon saba vinegar (see Cook's Note)
8 toasted crostini
Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the goat cheese, olive oil, honey and half of the tarragon, shallots and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl, toss the figs with the lemon juice, saba vinegar and remaining tarragon, shallots and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread the goat cheese mixture on the crostini, then top with the figs. 

Cooks Note  If you don't have saba vinegar, substitute a balsamic reduction or aged balsamic vinegar.

Mussels In Lemon And Saffron Cream With Tarragon Pesto Crostini

Mussels In Lemon And Saffron Cream

With Tarragon Pesto Crostini

Mary Ann Vitale owner of two restaurants, Lal Traverna and Sorella della Taverna in LaJolla CA, also professional chef taught cooking classes at the Great News Cooking School which is soon to close.  I attended her class, "Seafood Extravaganza". I will post the five recipes from this class.  Enjoy.

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Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large leek, thinly sliced, soaked in 

   cold water, rinsed and dried thoroughly

4 dozen mussels, scrubbed, rinsed and debearded

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup Italian parsley, rough chopped

1/2 tsp saffron threads

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

6 garlic cloves-thinly sliced

2 teaspoon lemon zest

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Directions:

Melt butter in heavy bottom sauté pan.  Add leeks: sauté until tender, then add garlic, continue to cook 1 minute longer.  Add wine and lemon zest to the pan and bring to a boil, then add the mussels.  Cook over high heat, covered until the mussels open, about 5 to 6 minutes.  Using a large slotted spoon remove mussels from the pan to a large bowl.  (DISCARD any mussels that have not opened).  

Strain all of the juices from the pan, add the cream, and saffron; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until reduced to sauce consistency, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the parsley and add the mussels.  Stir over medium heat until heated through.  Divide mussels among 4 bowls; pour sauce over top.

Tarragon Pesto Crostini  makes 15 - 20

Crostini:

Ingredients:

8 to 10 slices of baguette, 1/4" thick - brushed with melted butter and toasted.

Pesto:

1 cup Italian parsley

3 garlic cloves

1/4 cup tarragon leaves

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon mint

1/2 cup pecorino romano, grated

1/2 cup Parmesan, grated

zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 cup basil

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Directions:

In the bowl of a food processor blend together all ingredients except the olive oil.  Gradually add the oil in a slow stream.  Taste for seasoning and spread on the crostini.

Liptauer Cheese Cristini

I frequently post a copy of recipes which another blogger I follow posts weekly on her blog, 101 cookbooks. Heidi Swanson is also an author of cookbooks.

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This recipe looks like a good one to share for the Memorial Day weekend get together!

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Liptauer Cheese Crostini

Use room temperature butter and cheese. It helps the spread cream up beautifully. You can make the spread a few days ahead of time if needed.

8 ounces / goat cheese, room temperature

4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 big pinches of salt, or to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds, toasted and crushed

1 teaspoon capers, rinsed, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped shallots or onion

1 tablespoon chopped pickles

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a few dozen thin crostini or crackers*

one bunch of chopped chives, to serve

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Cream the goat cheese in a large bowl wither by hand or with a hand blender. Add the butter and incorporate that as well. Add the paprika, mustard, and salt and cream some more. Now, by hand, beat in the caraway seeds, capers, shallots, and pickles. Taste and adjust until everything is to your liking.

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Assemble no more than an hour before serving, so your bread doesn't go soft. Spread the liptauer across each crostini, and sprinkle with chives.

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Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

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*You can make crostini simply by tossing pieces of bite-sized, thinly sliced bread with a couple glugs of olive oil and the placing them on a baking sheet in a 350F/180C oven until deeply toasted. Cool and store in an airtight jar until ready to use.

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Prep time: 10 minutes

Crostini de Firenze

Crostini de Firenze

This recipe was served to us by a neighbor who invited us to a dinner party. I consider Renate to be one of the best cooks on our street. You might think the combination is extreme but wait until you try this recipe. It is absolutely delicious! 

Ingredients: 
1 Italian or French bread loaf 
1 large fresh garlic clove 
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar 
1/8 teaspoon salt 
Pinch of black pepper 
1/4 pound ripe strawberries 
   (about 1/3 cup chopped) 
1 large ripe tomato 
   (3/4 to 1 cup chopped) 
5 or 6 fresh mint leaves 
   (about 2 teaspoons chopped) 

Directions: Slice the baguette in about twenty half inch slices, discarding the two end slices. Grill the bread over a gas grill or electric grill, or toast the bread in an oven or conventional toaster. Place finely minced garlic in a small bowl. Add the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk well to blend and set aside. Rinse the strawberries and remove the caps. Coarsely chop the strawberries (about 1/4 inch pieces) and place with juices in a small mixing bowl. Core and seed the tomato and finely dice it. Add the tomato and any juices to the strawberries as you chop. Rinse and dry the mint leaves and finely chop them add them to the bowl. Just before serving, whisk the oil mixture to recombine and add it to the strawberry mixture. Stir well. 

Place the toasted bread on a serving platter and spoon 2 heaping teaspoons of the topping over the bread slice. Allow the slices to stand for about 5 minutes so the juices can penetrate the bread and then serve immediately.