Nothing says summer to me like a classic Italian bruschetta: a slice of toasted baguette, rubbed with garlic and spread with smashed ripe summer tomatoes and fresh herbs.
But for spring, before the summer tomatoes are ripe, today's condiment of complex flavors will do you quite nicely. My Dutch neighbor Marion (who is married to Marseillais) taught me to make it. It's super easy to throw together, and endlessly versatile. If you’re looking for a way to incorporate healthy and delicious Mediterranean flavors into your diet, this is a fine start. It's basically what we would call a salsa, but with some Mediterranean additions.
Watching her make it, I asked, “What do you do with it exactly? “Everything!” she answered. And over then next few days, we did just that, eating it every which-a-way.
Here are some ideas: Serve it spread on a toasted baguette or with crackers; drizzle it over a green salad; or use it as a colorful sauce for fish or chicken. Or serve in a small dish with a spoon, as an appetizer. Or use it as a condiment on a sandwich. And whatever else you can think of!
RECIPE: Marion’s Mediterranean Mix-up 
- 1 package cherry or grape tomatoes, halved, or (2 medium good summer tomatoes, coarsely chopped, if you have them)
- 1 bell pepper, chopped small
- 1 small hot pepper (un piment or jalapeño), finely chopped
- 8 or 10 sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, (about 4 tablespoons), chopped
- 1/2 red onion, sliced thin and then chopped
- 1 shallot, chopped fine
- about 20 greek olives, pits removed
- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano and/or chives
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon crema de balsamico de modena, for sweetness (or substitute 1 teaspoon brown sugar)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Put chopped tomatoes in a bowl and squeeze them gently with your hands to release the juices. Add all other ingredients and stir. Taste and correct seasonings. Let marinate overnight. Since the vegetables are basically pickled, it will keep for quite a while in your fridge. Serve, as above.
In the COMMENTS: Thank you all for your lovely comments about last week's post. Jan, welcome to France. And Colleen, I love the story about the Chirstmas conception!
It's always nice to have a meetup with blog readers. We had a fine lunch in Nice with Kris (a Brit) and Eric (American) at the Nice market, and even got to meet their cute grandson. They live in Brittany but have a little getaway in the old town of Nice.
Favorite Reads: Anyone who's interested in how health care works in France—and how it might work in the states, if we had a lick of sense–might want to read this article in Slate, about one woman's experience in the French system. Not perfect, but it sure is an improvement over ours.
8 thoughts on “Getting a Jump on Summer Bruschetta”
Merci for the colorful and flavorful recipe!
Lynn, this would be wonderful over some fresh homemade or store bought pasta. I would add some sauteed shrimp or chicken I think & there’s your meal. Happy you got a kick of that conception story. Thank you for the recipe here! Happy Easter to you & your family.
Lynn, looking forward to market day and trying out this fabulous recipe. Merci encore. Wish we had been able to meet up in Nice with you both. Alors un autre fois. Happy Easter and bon weekend.
Inspirational recipe. I imagine another nice addition would be Jacques Pepin’s semi-dried plum tomatoes cut lengthwise, placed face up on a baking sheet, lightly salted and baked in a 250 degree oven for about four hours. I am copying this recipe into my low-tech paper recipe journal and am sure I’ll make it many times. Thanks to you both.
I think I may have met the same couple with their grandson at Kristin Espinasse’s wine-tasting in 2012. They lived in Brittany, I remember, but were not French. What a coincidence that would be!
I bet that “mix-up” would be good as a pizza topping.
Lynn, that looks and sounds delightful! I am having a fantastic time here in France. I can’t believe it’s my 5th visit! I have enjoyed my time in Orléans, Tours, and these last several days in Annecy. Tomorrow, we are headed back to Paris for a bit of fun before returning to the real world on Saturday. I’m ready to begin planning my next visit!
Yes Liza that was us. It is a coincidence. I hope you enjoyed your trip.