Bruschetta's Versatility

Bruschetta can be made using almost anything from fruits, vegetables, proteins or even chocolate with not only bread but you can also use cakes or crackers.

It's like chicken that can be made a thousand ways.

That's a good thing. It's versatility makes cooking easier. It can be economical and user friendly.

You can re-purpose day old bread, use up over-ripe fruits and vegetables and . . . well you get the picture.

This is the time of year when we can open the fridge and let our imagination run wild using items that may be looking for new life. That's what I did yesterday when all I had was fresh tomatoes from the garden, day old bread and peaches and nectarines that wouldn't be around to see another day.

We were grilling a steak and a piece of salmon. I didn't have a chance to do grocery shopping this week so I had to be imaginative (hubby is not too keen on this style of cooking) with whatever I had in the fridge.

Lucky we still had fresh garden tomatoes. A simple fresh tomato salad dressed with salt, pepper, olive oil and fresh basil from the garden was perfect with the steak and salmon.

I was looking for something else. I thought I would slice the bread and make a dipping oil. Then I saw the nectarines and peaches that were looking a bit sad. Ahhhh, a fruit salsa for the salmon would be nice.

When I started chopping up the fruit it made more than I would need for the salmon. So I decided to use the bread for bruschetta. I brushed each slice of bread with olive oil and grilled them for about 3 minutes on each side or just until lightly toasted. I then placed the remaining fruit on each slice.

Nectarine and Peach Salsa Bruschetta
Ingredients

• Fresh nectarines and peaches cut into cubes
• 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. sugar
• dash of salt and pepper to taste
• chopped fresh herbs of choice (parsley, basil, or mint)

Preparation:

• Place the chopped fruit in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Stir to blend.
• Add a spoonful of the fruit to each slice of grilled bread. Add a sprinkle of fresh herbs is desired and serve.

This is so simple to do and it can be made using whatever fruits you have in your fridge. Make it your own and enjoy.

Wine Pairing: We had, or I should say I had a Riesling (Château Ste. Michelle Riesling) which had just the right amount of acidity with light green apple and peach flavors to make my simple meal seem very special.


Mangia!
Winelady Cooks