Old China Patterns

1 Comment

1. Twevle R
   12/09/2010 at 2:48 am

   Rose Champagne will go great with this:

   Classic Bruschetta

   This is the most wonderful appetizer during fresh tomato season. Try it and you'll be hooked!

   10 plum tomatoes, diced (seed these if you prefer less liquid)
   3 cloves garlic, minced
   3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
   1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
   1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
   Salt and pepper to taste
   French or Italian bread slices

   In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients except bread; set aside. Toast slices of French or Italian bread. Serve tomato mixture, room temperature in a bowl with a spoon and lots of toasted bread slices.

   Grilled Tuna Nicoise Salad
   Arrange this classic south-of-France salad on one large platter. Accompany it with crusty French bread and a lively Rosé champagne.

   Here is what you need:

   1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
   1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
   1/2 cup olive oil
   1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
   1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
   1 pound fresh tuna steaks, cut 1-inch thick
   (you can use two 3 oz. cans of
   chunk tuna or albacore instead – preferably oil-packed)
   1-1/2 pounds red-skinned potatoes,
   cut into 1/4-inch slices
   8 ounces green beans, trimmed
   2 tablespoons olive oil
   6 cups sliced romaine lettuce or one large head
   of Boston-lettuce leaves, washed and dried
   1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
   1/2 cup pitted kalamata or nicoise-type olives
   1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
   4 hard-cooked eggs, cut into wedges
   2 teaspoons snipped fresh tarragon
   optional: 2 Tbs. capers and
   one small tin of anchovy fillets.

   ° In a screw-top jar combine balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar, the 1/4 cup olive oil, the mustard, and garlic; cover and shake well. Season to taste with sugar, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

   ° Place fish in a shallow dish; set aside. Pour 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette over fish, turning to coat. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, turning fish once. Drain fish, discarding marinade.

   ° Meanwhile, in a saucepan cook potatoes in a small amount of boiling salted water for 10 minutes, adding green beans for the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain and cool slightly. Place potatoes and beans in a bowl and toss with olive oil. Spread vegetables in a single layer in a grill basket.

   ° Lightly grease the rack of a gas grill. Preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place fish and basket of vegetables on the grill rack directly over heat. Cover and grill until fish just flakes easily when tested with a fork and vegetables are tender, turning once halfway through grilling. (Allow 8 to 12 minutes for fish and about 10 minutes for vegetables.) Remove from grill. Cut fish diagonally into 1/4-inch slices.

   ° In a large bowl toss together romaine, cherry tomatoes, olives, and red onion. Divide among 4 dinner plates. Arrange the fish, potatoes, beans, and eggs on top of romaine mixture. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Sprinkle with tarragon. Makes 6 servings.

   ° To cook fish and vegetables on a charcoal grill, prepare as above. Place fish and basket of vegetables directly over medium coals. Cook as above, turning once. Serve as above.

   Note: You can use salmon for this salad to lend a Pacific Northwest note to the dish. It will take you about 20 minutes to marinade the fish and 10 minutes to grill it. Assembly is really quite quick. Lay a bed of lettuce down and layer the hard-boiled eggs, ripe red tomatoes, green beans and black olives and dressed on the top with tuna.