Serious Eats: Recipes
Bigger, Better Bruschetta
After preparing the Roasted Cod on Large Garlic Croutons from the June issue of Bon Appétit for this week's magazine recipe review, I've determined that the only way to make always-delicious bruschetta even better is to make it bigger.
The recipe, part of an article on quick summer suppers that can be thrown together in 15 minutes or less, was designed to turn bruschetta—once relegated to party appetizer platters—into a main course. And that it did: the briny tomato-anchovy sauce perfectly complimented the mild cod, and the crusty bread beneath soaked up all the savory juices.
This was one of those simple-yet-sophisticated recipes that leaves you at once completely satisfied and at the same time pondering how you could make it again differently. Entrée-sized bruschetta is such a great idea. Next time I'm going to try it with tuna, or maybe salmon, and I'm definitely going to throw some olives into the sauce.
About the author: Lucy Baker is a graduate student in the writing program at Sarah Lawrence College. Before returning to school to pursue an MFA, she was an assistant cookbook editor at HarperCollins. She lives in Brooklyn and is currently obsessed with all things fennel.
Roasted Cod on Large Garlic Croutons
- makes 4 servings -
Adapted from the June issue of Bon Appétit
Ingredients
1 pound plum tomatoes, cored, diced
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
5 anchovy fillets, minced
3 large garlic cloves (2 minced, one halved)
4 7- to 8- ounce cod fillets
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 1/2 inch thick slices of country white bread
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Add minced garlic and stir to blend. Season tomato mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Arrange fish on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush both sides with 2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until just opaque in center, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomato mixture. Cook until tomatoes soften and sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
3. Toast bread; rub one side with cut halved garlic. Top with tomato sauce, basil leaves, fish, and more sauce.