Bruschetta (broo-'ske-te)

Here is a great time to talk about one of my main governing principals. I call it, "Complex, not complicated." I would rather eat a dish with a few high-quality ingredients that are carefully apportioned than a bunch of cheap ingredients. Musicians, designers, artists, authors and chefs all struggle with this aspect of composition. The things I find most enjoyable and surprising are the simplest solutions.


How can you be complex without being complicated? Well it turns out, great bruschetta is the perfect illustration. Since we are featuring tomatoes and bread, for Pete sakes buy a good loaf of sourdough bread and a great heirloom tomato. Stop! Sharpen your knife! Okay, now cut your tomato. Let the knife do the work. If the skin of the tomato flexes at all, you are crushing it, and your knife is not sharp enough. Now I try to never cut my tomato chunks smaller than a nickel. You just wind up with mush.

Put your tomatoes in a bowl with some finely julienned tarragon and let sit as long as you can. From 12 minutes to 24 hours. Purists will say, take a clove of garlic and rub it on your sliced sourdough baguette. I say, take a tablespoon full of minced garlic from a jar and put it in with your tomatoes and tarragon. Now toast your bread. Lightly butter or olive oil either side of your bread slices and place them on a pizza stone or cookie sheet and toast them in the oven. 400 degrees until lightly browned will do. Then place your tomato mixture on your warm slices, drizzle a little olive oil on top, and... wait... today's final lesson.

Salt to taste: Not many home cooks know this, but not only does the quantity and quality of the salt matter, but the timing of it. If you were to salt your tomato mixture when you mixed it, and you let it sit overnight, the salt would draw out much of the moisture of the tomato, leaving a soupy mush. Salting last, with a high-quality, course-grain salt, spreads out the saltiness, letting your mouth discover these little seasoning surprises. But it also ensures the flesh of the tomato stays intact.

Pile on your tomato mixture, drizzle with olive oil. Salt to taste. Garnish with basil, tarragon or rosemary.

$2.50 or less. Good vitamins. Good antioxidants. Low fat. Easy prep. Flexible. Feel free to add capers or onions or corn.