Oven Roasted Tomatoes and Cambazola Cheese Crostini

Easy, comfort food for adults, kids and boaters!

Recipe:
Sliced sourdough bread
Tomatoes
Cambazola cheese, Brie, Stilton or ??
Fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Balsamic reduction drizzle

Set your oven at 300*.  In a roasting pan, place sliced tomatoes as thick as you want them, a little less than a 1/2", cover them with a sprinkle of olive oil, then add a pinch of salt and pepper, and place them in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours.  Meanwhile, take your cheese out of the fridge and get it to room temperature until tomatoes are done.  When tomatoes are done, lay sliced bread in a pan and drizzle it with olive oil, add a little salt, then roast for about 20 minutes, until it is a bit crunchy.  When bread is ready, spread cheese on it, add tomatoes and basil, and drizzle with balsamic reduction... Bon Appetit!

Lunch: Fall Pear and Arugula Salad with Balsamic Drizzle

In large bowl add the washed and dried arugula, then add the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper, now gently mix all ingredients with your clean hands, do not use tongs or spoons, you don't want to bruise the leaves. Arrange on your plate and garnish with thinly sliced ripe pears, and shaved Parmesan cheese, then drizzle the balsamic reduction.

Recipe: serves one

Hand full of arugula
1 Tablespoon Hazelnut oil
1 splash balsamic vinegar
1 large pinch each salt and pepper
1/2 thinly sliced ripe pear
shaved Parmesan cheese to taste
drizzle balsamic reduction

To make reduction drizzle, add one bottle balsamic vinegar to a saucepan, over high heat bring to a boil making sure hood fan is turned on!  Reduce heat to slow to medium roll, it takes some time for it reduce down about 30-45 minutes, you will end up with only about a 1/4 of the volume you had before you started.  Most people add sugar at this point, I use honey, so turn the heat off and add the honey stirring until dissolved or the reduction has thickened, keep your eye on it, don't let it get to thick.  Let it cool and transfer to bottle or jar..

Bon Appetit!

Caesar Salad

A Classic French Caesar Salad For Four

1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
3 fillets anchovy finely minced
1 pinch each of sea salt and pepper
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 heads romaine/cos lettuce, whole leaf or chopped
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil + or -

In a large bowl add all the ingredients, except the lettuce and olive oil
With the back of a tablespoon smear the anchovy until it appears smooth and not lumpy, and then whisk by hand for a bit to combine, then slowly add the olive oil in a fine drizzle while whisking fast, have someone hold the bowl or do the drizzle bit if needed, what you're looking for is the texture of the dressing to have shine to it but not be to wet, remember drizzle very slowly stopping the flow necessary or the dressing will break!  It's really hard to fix it, so don't let it break!!
Add the lettuce mixing with your clean hands, do not use tongs or other items, just plan on getting dirty....  Plate the salad, add hot croutons and parmesan cheese.  You also add grilled meat, fish or shrimp at this if you want..

Croutons
With oven hot set at 350* cut croutons to your desired size and shape, brush with olive oil, salt and pepper, place in the oven shaking occasionally, check for doneness often, you won't be the first to forget them, so set the timer for 5-10 min intervals.