Creative Crostini Toppings?
I am planning to make a few varieties of crostini for an appetizer and am interested in some creative yummy topping ideas. The group eating will be children and adults, and the other menu items fit into the "comfort food" category. I really want to WOW everyone with my appetizer. Thanks!
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19 Comments:
i don't know where you live... but I was just in NYC and bought a Garlic/Rosemary Jelly at the Union Sq Market. It tastes awesome and I plan on using it for making a crostini soon. Mayve if you get something similar and mix it with grape tomatoes, basil and frezz mozzarela you can make mini bruschettas...
I also like to make this Tuno Antipasto... I am vegetarian, but if you're not, you can substitute with tuna or salmon. It's really good and maybe something your guests are not used to...
And if you want to make it really different, instead of using a crostini, place the antipasto on top of a Plantain Toston. It's very Latin and very decadent...
Madelyn
KarmaFreeCooking
MadelynRodriguez at 11:30AM on 10/16/08
2 of my favorite crostini toppings are a chicken liver pate and chickpeas with anchovies. For the pate, I cook the chicken livers and mix it well with finely diced hard boiled eggs, caramelized onions, salt and pepper. For the other, just simmer the chick peas in just a little bit of chicken stock and chopped anchovies (anchovy paste works well too) until all the liquid evaporates and lightly coats the chickpeas and top with a little bit of lemon juice. Thanks to Babbo for the inspiration on that one.
I've also rubbed a little garlic on the crostini, a drizzle of olive oil and freshly grated pecorino with great results.
Enjoy!
mediocrepop at 11:54AM on 10/16/08
You could try maybe:
• figs, honey and goat cheese
• salsa, refried black beans and chedddar
• capicolla ham, genoa salami and grainy dijon
• melted velveeta, pickled jalepenos and green onion
• nutella, nuts (hazelnuts or almonds?) and creme fraiche
• cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers and dill **my fave
• corned beef, horseradish mayo and swiss cheese **my other fave
...these are all good combos; not sure if they're wow-able:)
I'm not a big liver fan, but I've had mediocrepop's suggestion with frois gras, chickpeas and anchovies--similar flavour i guess--loved it.
Good luck, have fun!!!!
hungrychristel at 12:18PM on 10/16/08
Giada whatsherfacewiththebigheadandtinybody made a strawberry bruschetta that looked so good.
I guess the bread is a little thicker than crostini, and not sure you're looking for a sweet treat rather than savory.
CLICK ME!!
Southern_bella at 12:18PM on 10/16/08
I'm not sure how crazy you want to get, but try making your own basil pesto in a mortar and pestle, then top the bread with it and some wonderful cheese (asiago, fontina for a creamy option, even goat cheese will work) and broil those bad boys.
For the pesto, just throw a bunch of fresh basil (1-2 cups?), one good-sized clove of chopped garlic, a couple tbsp. chopped fresh parsley into the mortar and peslte and grind away. Add olive oil during the process, and then add a few tbsp. of pine nuts and 1/3-1/2 cup romano cheese. Keep adding oil and grinding until the consistency is right.This is one of those things that you do by taste, look, and feel so just go for it.
If not this, then I'm with Hungry Christel who mentioned the figs. You can't ever go wrong with fresh figs. (If you want try fresh figs and prosciutto - divine!)
La Divina at 1:15PM on 10/16/08
@La Divina - AH! I'd go for the food processor, all the way.
I made these a few weeks ago, they were definitely worth the work I put in, and an interesting combination for crostini:
I'm bad at putting in links, I really apologize.
embolini9 at 1:40PM on 10/16/08
OH also, I think they're mild enough that the kids will eat them, but interesting enough that the adults will like them, too.
embolini9 at 1:41PM on 10/16/08
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/FRESH-ARTICHOKE-AND-WHITE-BEAN-CROSTINI-243438
Wow, I just thought I was putting it in without a hyperlink, but I really just didn't put it in. Oops. My generation is ashamed of me.
embolini9 at 1:43PM on 10/16/08
I'm a big fan of gorgonzola dolce drizzled with honey. Fresh figs also go incredibly well with boursin (and again, a honey or a good balsamic vinegar drizzle).
@embolini - LOL!
brooke29 at 1:50PM on 10/16/08
@brooke - which boursin goes best? I've only ever had the cracked pepper one?
hungrychristel at 1:56PM on 10/16/08
You can make a white bean "hummus" using cannelini beans instead of garbanzos...extra garlic, fresh parsley, some basil, olive oil, and a bit of tahini (but not much). spread a bit of that on there and then chopped olives (an Italian variety).
juliebugsmama at 1:58PM on 10/16/08
In New York, there is a trendy food bar (Fig and Olive) that serves the following crostini's. I haven't tried all of them but they sound delicious.
Radish, Fresh Green Garlic Tapenade
Bell Pepper, Goat Cheese
Mushroom, Reggiano, Porcini Oil
Avocado, Radish, Pine Nuts
Manchego, Fig Spread, Marcona Almond
Prosciutto, Ricotta, Fig, Olive, Walnut
Bresaola, Ricotta, Honey, Eggplant
Shrimp, Avocado, Cilantro, Tomato
Salmon, Ricotta, Citrus, Cilantro
Boquerones, Tomato, Charmoula
shazza at 2:11PM on 10/16/08
The beluga lentil crostini from 101 Cookbooks is tasty:
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000280.html
mainegirl at 2:12PM on 10/16/08
@christel - my absolutely favourite fresh fig & boursin combination is with boursin garlic & fine herbs, although I did like Shallot & Chive and Pepper a lot, too.
brooke29 at 2:13PM on 10/16/08
Ooooh sounds good Brooke! I'll be trying this next, thanks!
hungrychristel at 2:41PM on 10/16/08
First of all I'd like to second the recommendation of juliebugsmama as I frequently make a similar item for an easy and light dinner when i'm more interested in having a glass of wine and reading than spending hours in the kitchen. I also saw multiple recomendations of fig/honey/goat cheese or ricotta and believe they would also be well recieved by adults and children alike.
I would like to add a couple more recommendations to the list:
Caramelized onion and mango chutney with thinly sliced and fairly rare smoked duck breast. (had it at a wine tasting once)
Caramelized onion and herbed goat cheese (one of my emergency standby options)
Crumbled sausage (maybe a chicken and garlic, or pork and sage...probably not the normal country breakfast variety) browned with apples and golden raisins and drizzled with maple syrup.
Best of luck on WOWing 'em.
brickh at 6:35PM on 10/16/08
I had the most amazing crostin last weekend with sauteed mushrooms.
missjess at 9:08PM on 10/16/08
Great question and topic! Crostini is so versatile...it can be made into bruschetta, simply topped with olive oil, pepper and tons of freshly grated Parmesan, spread with olive tapenade, really anything!
I saw this crostini spread made from olives and almonds though that sounded amazing to me! Good luck! Yum.
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 2:40PM on 10/17/08
Thank you all for the wonderful ideas. I don't know which to go with yet, I'll have to see what looks good at the store to see which direction I go...Thanks!
Leo1881 at 3:59PM on 10/17/08