Given the recipes’ simplicity, good ingredients are key. Use the best bread, olive oil, etc. you can get your hands on. We also used farmer’s market tomatoes here, which made a huge difference.
Shrimp with Bruschetta & Asparagus
Serves 4
Ingredients
1/2 lb shrimp
Half a bunch thick asparagus
1 baguette
3 large tomatoes, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400F. Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove.
Slice the baguette, spacing slices evenly on a baking sheet. Brush each slice liberally with olive oil and top with minced garlic.
Wash asparagus & snap off asparagus ends. Place spears on a roasting pan. Brush with olive oil. Once oven reaches 400F, place the bread pan in the center rack and the asparagus pan on the top rack. Set timer for 10 minutes.
Once the water on the stove has reached a rolling boil, add shrimp. Boil shrimp until they float to the surface. Place cooked shrimp in colander or strainer to drain.
After 10 minutes, check oven. You want the bread toasted through, golden but not brown. The asparagus should be turned and cooked a few minutes more; ultimately, the spears should be cooked through (a knife should glide through the thickest part) and the tips a little crisp. Salt & pepper the asparagus.
Arrange plates of shrimp, asparagus, & garlic toasts. Right before serving, add chopped tomatoes & salt to garlic toasts to finish the bruschetta.