Ingredients
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Vermont Creamery Sea Salt Cultured Butter - 82% Butterfat
8 tablespoons softened
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3 large cloves garlic, peeled and put through a press
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½ teaspoon dried oregano
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¼ teaspoon red chili flakes, a few turns of black pepper, sea salt, if needed
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1 pound crusty bread, sliced a scant 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal
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1 pound ripe tomatoes , such as dry farmed early girls, heirlooms or a combination
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, handful basil leaves, slivered and/or fresh oregano or marjoram to taste
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¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
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splash balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction for drizzling
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Vermont Creamery Crumbled Goat Cheese
for sprinkling optional
Directions
- Garlic bread: Preheat the broiler
- In a medium bowl, stir together the softened butter, garlic, oregano, chili flakes, and pepper. Taste, adding more salt if you like
- Smear each bread slice with garlic butter and place on a baking sheet. Toast under the broiler until golden and crisp. This can take anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes depending on your broiler strength and positioning and bread heartiness
- The garlic toasts are best freshly toasted but can be made an hour or two ahead if need be
- Bruschetta topping: Rinse and dry the tomatoes. Using a small, sharp, preferably serrated knife, cut each tomato in half around the circumference. Place a strainer over a bowl and gently squeeze the seeds and juice of each tomato half into the strainer. I like to save the juice for drinking-a treat for the chef. Discard the seed
- Dice the seeded tomatoes into scant 1/2 inch cubes and place in a medium bowl. Alternatively if you're going for the rainbow effect shown here, put the diced tomatoes in individual bowls by color. Add the olive oil, herbs, salt, and vinegar, and toss gently. Taste, adding more of any ingredient you like
- This mixture can also be made up to an hour or two ahead. Note that the tomatoes will continue to drop more juices as they sit
- When ready to serve, top each garlic toast with a spoonful of tomatoes, a drizzle of balsamic reduction, and a sprinkle of goat cheese if using. The garlic bread bruschetta is best served right away but it will hold for an hour or two.
