Did you know that the tomato is not a vegetable?
I didn’t until someone told me recently. It’s a fruit….apparently because it has an ovary?? Apparently I wasn’t paying attention in 10th grade biology.
Would you pick up a whole tomato and bite into it like an apple – because I would not. It isn’t that I don’t love them and all, but that just doesn’t seem natural.
However, tomatoes are rich in lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants. Everybody needs some lycopene 🙂
Bruschetta is one of the most versatile, easy appetizers/side dishes – you can get creative with your toppings. I made this last week when I grilled some chicken and threw some baked potatoes in the microwave.
Tomato, Basil and Olive Bruschetta
1 loaf crusty bread, sliced
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/3 yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup black olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
4 basil leaves, cut in a chiffonade
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
Olive oil for brushing
Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°.
In a mixing bowl, add tomatoes, onion, and olives and add the dressing, tossing to combine. Place the sliced bread pieces on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Brush the tops of the bread with olive oil. Top with tomato mixture and bake for about 5 minutes – or until starting to brown around the edges (you’ll see it on the onions too).
This is part of Food Network’s Summer Fest – a season long franchise (bi-weekly) where Food Network editors team up with food bloggers to share tips and recipes about seasonal produce. Check out all the Summer Fest Tomato posts:
Big Girls Small Kitchen: Seared Chicken with Cherry Tomato Pan Sauce
Haute Apple Pie: Heirloom Tomato & Three Cheese Tart
What’s Gaby Cooking: Zebra Tomato and Burrata Crostini
Zaika Zabardast: Balsamic Roasted Tomato-Basil Ice
And Love It Too: Healthy Lunchbox – Garlic Tomato Basil Pesto Bruchetta
Chez Us: Roasted Tomato Sauce
Daily*Dishin: Refreshing and Rustic – Tuscan Bread Salad
Glory Foods: Fresh Tomato Salsa
Dishin and Dishes: Tomato Tart Tatin
The Purple Cook: Eggplant Parmesan Caprese Salad
I Am Mommy: Tomato Crudite
Cooking With My Kid: Gluten-Free White Bean Chive Cakes with Heirloom Tomatoes
FN Dish: Easy Tomato Appetizers
Add a Pinch: Simple Caprese Salad Skewers
Sweet Life Bake: Salsa Cruda
Virtually Homemade: Farfalle with Roasted Tomato Sauce, Bacon and Shaved Romano
The Sensitive Epicure: Yemista – Greek Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers with Potatoes
Mooshu Jenne: Sun Burst Tomato Pasta
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Book Club, Tomatoes and a Recipe for Chicken Provençal?
Cooking With Elise: Tomato Parmesan Biscuits
From My Corner of Saratoga: Cooking from the Garden – Bruschetta Pizza
Fritos and Foie Gras: Tomato Terrine
Creative Culinary: Fresh and Savory Tomato Pie
Big Apple Nosh: Caprese Salad/Tomato Carnage
Spices and Aroma: Quick and Easy Paneer Curry
Zaika Zabardast: Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Breakfast Rolls
Enjoy!
~Dixie Chik~
7 Comments
Beth Michelle
September 7, 2011 at 3:10 AMThis bruschetta looks amazing. It is one of the best appetizers around!
Karen
September 2, 2011 at 9:17 AMYou made me smile, I thought everyone knew that tomatoes were a fruit! Hope I’m not upsetting you but telling you that zucchini, cucumber, and green pepper are fruit too.
Love your twist on bruschetta.
Karen
Virtually Homemade
September 1, 2011 at 12:02 PMYou know tomato is a fruit when you eat a perfect summer garden one that is sweet and juicy like a plum! Love the addition of olives to the bruschetta!
Tina@flourtrader
September 1, 2011 at 4:07 AMYour bruschetta looks amazing, great appetizer. The crisp bread and the cool veggies are hard to resist! Also, thanks for the info on the summer fest and the links.
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love.
August 31, 2011 at 9:35 PMThis bruschetta looks fabulous! Love that you also used olives!
Mike@The Culinary Lens
August 31, 2011 at 7:07 PMI love bruschetta. I read recently a great definition Toatoes are botanically fruit a a vegetable in he culinary sense
Elise Johnson
August 31, 2011 at 10:01 AMLove Bruschetta…one of my favorite appetizers. Makes a fun group appetizer for your guests!