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real deal bruschetta

MAKES 18 BRUSCHETTA

Here in the United States, a bruschetta is normally made with garlic, tomatoes, basil, and olive oil, but in Italy it is often made with fresh mozzarella cheese (preferably buffalo mozzarella). That’s what makes this recipe the real deal. Watch as these disappear off the plate. (And to pronounce it as they do in Italy, say “broo-SKET-a.”)

1

baguette, cut into eighteen 1/4-inch slices

1/4

cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Arrange the baguette slices on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat each piece of bread with olive oil. Salt and pepper each slice and then bake for 10 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.

3. To make the topping, combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl and mix well.

4. Top each piece of bread with about 2 teaspoons of the tomato basil topping and serve.

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COOK’S NOTE: Save any left over baguette heels to make bread crumbs.

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topping

4

plum tomatoes, freshly chopped into 1/4-inch cubes (about 3 cups)

7

ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes

4

fresh basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons (about 1 tablespoon)

1

garlic clove, minced

1

tablespoon good-quality olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

curried deviled eggs

SERVES 6

I just love deviled eggs. I could eat ten in one sitting and probably have room for more. I added a little bit of curry to the recipe, giving this classic party dish an Eastern Indian twist. I find that the best place to purchase eggs is at the farmers’ market because you can ask the vendors questions about the way the hens are treated and what they are fed.

6

large eggs

2

tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons mayonnaise

1

teaspoon Dijon mustard

11/2

teaspoons curry powder

Salt to taste

Paprika for garnish

Chopped fresh chives for garnish

Freshly cracked black pepper for garnish

1. Put the eggs in a medium pot and add enough water to cover. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and cook for 13 minutes. Drain the eggs and rinse with cold water.

2. Peel the eggs and cut them in half. Gently remove the yolks and put them in a medium bowl.

3. Mash the egg yolks and add the mayonnaise, mustard, and curry powder. Mix well and season with salt.

4. Fill a reusable pastry bag with the yolk mixture and use it to fill the egg white halves. (Alternatively, use a small spoon.)

5. Garnish each egg half with a sprinkling of paprika, chopped chive flowers, and freshly cracked pepper.

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COOK’S NOTE: You don’t have to refrigerate eggs if you use them within a week or two. Because we use them so oft en, we keep a lovely basket of brown eggs on our kitchen counter, creating more space for items that need refrigeration.

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pan-fried tofu squares with sweet chile sauce

MAKES 36 SQUARES

Growing up with a hippie mom in San Francisco in the 1970s was always an adventure. I remember trips to co-op health food stores with large bins of nutritional yeast flakes. You can still find them in most health food stores (check the supplement aisle or look online). Yeast flakes are a great source of protein and are high in B vitamins. Although they are considered a supplement, they can be used for cooking. Here they make a nice breading for the tofu.

1/2

cup olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon

1

scant cup yeast flakes

1

teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

14

ounces extra-firm tofu, drained, patted dry, and cut into 1-inch cubes

2

tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

sweet chile sauce

1/4

cup agave nectar

1

teaspoon red pepper flakes

2

tablespoons minced scallions (white and green parts)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray or coat a baking sheet with oil.

2. Pour ½ cup of the olive oil into a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, mix together