Crostini with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes & Mozzarella, Crostini with Brie & Apples, and a Lemon Basil Spritz Cocktail

 
Serves: 4 plus 1 cocktail

Ingredients for Crostini:

• 1 loaf Wonder New York Rye Bread or Wonder Whole Grain White Bread, cut diagonally, into 8 pieces
• olive oil, for drizzling
• salt and pepper, to taste

Ingredients for the Blistered Cherry Tomato & Mozzarella:

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 1 - 2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 3 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella or burrata
• salt and pepper, to taste

Ingredients for the Brie & Apples:

• 1/2 ounce brie, room temp
• 1 large apple, such as Pink Lady or Jazz
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 small handful arugula, stems trimmed
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pistachios
• salt, to taste

Ingredients for the Lemon Basil Spritz Cocktail:

• 5 large basil leaves
• 1½ ounces Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• sparkling water or club soda

 

Procedure Blistered Cherry Tomatoes:

1. Preheat a cast iron pan on your grill (or medium heat on your stove).
2. Using your hand, or your knife, gently smash the garlic cloves and then roughly chop them.
3. Add the cherry tomatoes to your cast iron pan and immediately drizzle with enough olive oil to get them shiny, about 1 - tablespoons. Add the thyme sprigs. Shake the pan (or use a spoon to stir) to ensure the tomatoes are coated in the olive oil then let them sit for 2 minutes, until blistered.
4. Toss in the roughly chopped garlic and shake the pan again. Let it sit for 2 minutes and then remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Using a fork or back of a spoon, lightly smash the tomatoes.  Set aside.

Procedure for Brie & Apples:

1. Slice the room temperature brie into 1/4 inch slices
2. Using a sharp knife, slice the apple into 1/4 inch slices. Toss the apple slices with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt.  Set aside.  

 

To Build Crostini: 

1. Drizzle both sides of the bread slices with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. On a grill or grill pan, on medium high heat, toast both sides of the bread.
3. Top 4 slices of the grilled bread with brie, arugula, and apple slices. Drizzle the honey over the top, scatter the chopped walnuts or pistachios and finish with a pinch of salt, to taste.
4. Top the remaining 4 slices of grilled bread with torn pieces of fresh mozzarella or burrata. Top with the cherry tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt (if desired).

 

Procedure for Lemon Basil Spritz:

1. Put 4 basil leaves in a cocktail shaker and press them gently with a muddler or a wooden spoon.
2. Add the Deep Eddy Lemon vodka and simple syrup.
3. Fill with ice, shake vigorously and strain into a chilled Collins glass.
4. Top off with sparkling water or club soda.
5. Garnish with the remaining basil leaf.