Clean out the Fridge Friday: A Trio of Bruschetta

You won't mind, dear reader, that I actually cleaned out the fridge on Tuesday instead of Friday?  It's a great habit I've tried to start, but yesterday I found 2 halves of baguettes, strawberries, 1/2 tub of cream cheese, English peas, marinated tomatoes, basil, parmesan cheese...This sounds like a bruschetta feast to me, just in time for my staff working lunch!

Marinated Tomato Bruschetta
See earlier blog posting on marinated tomatoes.

Strawberry Bruschetta
Ingredients:
4 thick slices bread
6 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 cups sliced or diced hulled strawberries
4 tablespoons mascarpone, (Italian cream cheese)  I used cream cheese

Instructions:
Prepare the toasted bread.  Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over high heat. Add sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice and cook, stirring, until the sugar melts and the mixture begins to bubble, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add strawberries and stir until juices begin to exude and the berries are heated through, 30 seconds to 1 minute more.  Spread 1 tablespoon mascarpone on each piece of toast. Top with the warm berries.

Pea and Parmesan Bruschetta
Ingredients:
6 slices of baguette bread
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas, thawed
Kosher salt
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
Shaved Parmesan
Torn mint
A few drops of balsamic vinegar

Instructions:
Grill bread and rub with garlic clove.   Blanch peas in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 2 minutes for fresh peas and 1 minute for frozen.  Drain peas; transfer to a bowl.  Season with kosher salt and extra-virgin olive oil and mash with the back of a fork.  Spread about 1 tablespoon mixture over each toast. Garnish with shaved Parmesan, torn mint, and a few drops of balsamic vinegar.