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Perfect Crusty Breads for the Season’s Bounty!
Bruschetta. Caprese. Pesto.
Do you get a little thrill just reading these words? We certainly do, because this time of year is simply bursting with phenomenal local produce. Tomatoes, basil, garlic, greens, onions, corn, on and on, we can’t get enough of it!
Now imagine taking these glorious local veggies and herbs home, making some incredible bruschetta (or caprese with luscious fresh mozzarella, or pesto), placing it on bread you have on hand, inhaling the fresh and enticing aroma as you take a bite and then… disenchantment. The bread’s no good. It’s floppy or too chewy or bland and your dish falls flat. What a disappointment!
Make sure you have the best crusty bread to go with the best local produce. Here are some of our favorites to complement the season’s bounty:
O Bread Bakery: ciabattas, baguettes, and filone. This bakery is just down the road in Shelburne, VT and these breads are just the right blend of crispy exterior, soft interior. Olive lovers, we highly recommend their olive ciabatta loaves and rolls, delivered Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and check out our bread delivery schedule to see all the options!
Red Hen Baking Co.: practically anything! This Middlesex, VT bakery specializes in crusty, organic artisan breads that have perfect crusts and puffy insides. We especially enjoy their Seeded Baguette and do-anything Waitsfield Common, both delivered fresh every day!
Stewart’s Bakery: French Country and Italian breads, baguettes. This bakery is a mere 4 miles away in Willison, VT and their delicious breads are a steal! Their crusts tend to be just a little more pliant, making them especially good for all ages. Delivered fresh every day!
Once you have your favorite crusty bread picked out, here’s a marvelous recipe which combines bruschetta, caprese, and pesto into one perfect summer-licious dish:
GRILLED BRUSCHETTA WITH CORN, TOMATOES, MOZZARELLA, AND ARUGULA PESTO
Ingredients
6 thick slices crusty bread
3 large tomatoes, diced
2 medium (or 1 large) balls fresh mozzarella
2-3 ears sweet corn on the cob
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup arugula pesto
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Directions
Shuck corn and cut the kernels off the cob. In a large skillet, over medium heat add 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter. Add corn kernels and cook 4-5 minutes (in late summer the corn should be so tender it hardly needs to be cooked). Remove corn from heat and set aside to cool. Mix the diced tomatoes with about 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste and let rest at room temp while you prepare the rest of the dish. Slice the mozzarella into medium-thick slices (about 2 slices per piece of bread). Brush the bread on both sides generously with olive oil and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Place bread on a medium-hot grill. After about 2 minutes, the bread should develop nice grill marks. Flip bread and lay 2 slices of cheese on each piece of bread. Close the lid of the grill for about another minute or until cheese melts. Place bread on a serving platter. Mix the now-cooled corn into the tomato relish and top each slice of bread with 1-2 Tbsp arugula pesto and the marinated tomatoes and corn, making sure to pour the juice on as well. Serve immediately.
