Catalan Toasts Recipes

CATALAN TOMATO TOASTS

Steps:

• Take the halved tomatoes and rub them into the toast, making sure you use all of the tomato. lay two slices of ham over each slice of toast and drizzle with oil. Serve.
• Toast the bread on both sides and spread the garlic over one side of the bread.

SHORTCUT BEEF CATALAN

Steps:

• Heat oil in medium-size Dutch oven over moderate heat 1 minute. Add bacon and cook, stirring often, until only browned bits remain, about 5 minutes. Lift brown bits to paper toweling to drain. Raise burner heat to high.
• Pat ground chuck into large flat patty and brown in drippings, allowing about 3 minutes per side; life to plate and reserve.
• Reduce heat to moderate; add onions, garlic, carrots, bay leaves, thyme, orange zest, cinnamon, and cloves to Dutch oven and cook, stirring frequently, 5 minutes until onions are golden.
• Add consomme and wine, bring to gentle boil, set lid on askew, and cook 15 minutes. Lay meat patty on top of stew, set lid on askew, and cook 15 minutes more.
• Break meat into 1 1/2-inch clumps, mix in salsa and tomato paste, and cook uncovered 5 minutes. Add cannellini, parsley, and reserved bacon and bring just to serving temperature. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Remove bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and cinnamon stick, ladle into heated soup plates, and serve.

PAN CON TOMATE (SPANISH TOMATO TOAST)

Steps:

• Turn the oven on to the broil setting.
• Slice bread 1/2 inch thick and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Toast under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
• Cut garlic clove in half and rub onto one face of the toast.
• Use a large-holed cheese grater to grate the tomato into a medium bowl, discarding the large piece of skin when you get to the end.
• Spoon tomato mixture over pieces of toast.
• Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

CATALAN TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the grill to medium.
• Cut the tomato in half and grate it on the coarse side of a box grater. Reserve the tomato pulp.
• Grill the bread slices on both sides until they are slightly charred. When the bread comes off the grill rub each slice with a garlic clove and drizzle generously with olive oil. Top each toast with tomato pulp and a tiny sprinkle of salt. Cover tomato with a slice of ham and serve.
• Cinchy!

CATALAN TOMATO BREAD

Steps:

• Prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderate.
• Cut bread into 3/4-inch-thick slices (cut baguette on a long diagonal for 6-inch-long slices).
• Working in batches of 3 or 4 slices, grill bread on lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over once, until grill marks appear, 1 to 2 minutes total per batch. Remove bread from heat and immediately rub 1 side of each slice with cut side of a garlic half, then rub with cut side of a tomato half, using 1 tomato half for 1 to 2 slices of bread and allowing most of pulp to be absorbed by bread (discard remainder of garlic and tomato halves). Brush bread with oil, then sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

CATALAN TOMATO TOASTS

Steps:

• Toast the bread on both sides and rub the garlic over one side of the bread.
• Take the halved tomatoes and rub them into the toast, making sure you use all of the tomato. lay two slices of ham over each slice of toast and drizzle with oil. Serve.