I threw a potluck at my place yesterday. One of my efforts was a pungent, fresh and tasty bruschetta.
Back in my ‘gluten’ days I used to make this simple dish A LOT. The flavours are so vivid when the tomatoes are fresh from the vine. Room temperature, to bring out their sweet, acid fruitiness. When freshly minced garlic, peppery extra virgin olive oil and basil combine with the tomatoes, and a good pinch of rock salt is rubbed between thumb and fingers to freckle over the top..something magical happens. Inhale deeply whilst gently tumbling the ingredients in a bowl with a spoon or fork. It is a sensual, aromatic feast as the acid ‘cooks’ the garlic and the essential oils from the basil are released into the juices from the tomatoes. The ingredients act like a great boy band…individual, unique but together they ROCK!
I decided to try a recipe for Raw Garlic Bread - Russell James. The recipe is complete genius with surprising ingredients like psyllium husk and almond pulp. The bread is raw, living (‘cooked’ via a dehydrator to keep its enzymes intact..an oven on it’s lowest setting could possibly work) spongy and light. It even has a chewy crust, much like a french baguette. I made two changes to the recipe. Omitting the dates and using one clove of garlic, as the cloves I had were ginormous and the tomatoes were laden with garlic too. It turned out quite perfect! Gluten free, low carb. All praise to Russell for a fabulous recipes. It is one I will used again and again.
The topping is simple. Ripe, succulent tomatoes roughly chopped. Fresh, minced garlic and torn organic basil leaves. Salt to taste. The bread acts like a sponge to the salad and it transforms it. It’s chewy, garlicky, fresh, aromatic and perfectly pert.
The raw bread takes 14 hours to dehydrate but it made 4 small loaves and it freezes. The tomato bruschetta takes mere moments.
Nutritional info according to Science Daily
‘researchers found that tomatoes are the biggest source of dietary lycopene; a powerful antioxidant. Tomatoes also contain other protective mechanisms, such as antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory functions. Research has additionally found a relationship between eating tomatoes and a lower risk of certain cancers as well as other conditions, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, ultraviolet light-induced skin damage, and cognitive dysfunction’.
Enjoy
x
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