coprotagonista /costar

Here in the states, Independence Day is right around the corner. And, there are a ton of fabulous recipes being posted in the blogosphere for the festive holiday. And, today isn’t any different, as I I decided to make a “red, white, and blue” celebration crostini, complete with star-shaped bread.  I was going to put together a sweet something, went with a savory snack instead.  The sundried tomatoes for the red, eggplant for the blue, and Jicama for the white made this girl happy happy!

While perusing the aisles of the Farmer’s Market, and thinking about making this appetizer, I knew I wanted to use eggplant for the blue. I thought, if diced small enough, leaving the skin on wouldn’t be an issue on my tummy.

I waivered back and forth about the red and intially thought roasted red peppers. But, all I had was bottled.  They, tend to be a little too wet-ish (for my liking), and I didn’t have any peppers to make my own.  So, I changed directions and  decided on the sundried tomatoes for the red. A bit of a sundried tomato addict, it pains me to admit that it kind of takes over the flavor of the overall crostini.  I am thinking that if I increase the eggplant, and use regular olive oil during the sauteeing, the sundried tomato’s need to dominate will be squashed.  Even so, it was gooood!  And, while I thoroughly enjoyed the combo of flavors, I will try it again with the peppers.

For the white?  I went with jicama.  Yum!  “Shaving” the jicama with the mandolin before dicing it, and keeping it raw, brought a fabulous and subtle crunch to the mixture.

Not familiar with Jicama?  It is a delicious, healthy legume cultivated in South America and, whether raw, boiled, mashed, fried, or baked, its versatility allows for even the pickiest eater to enjoy its starchy crunch.  Perfect for salads, salsas, and vegetable platters, Jicama is also a great substitute for water chestnuts.  Brilliant!
A cross between a turnip or a large radish and sometimes referred to as a Yam Bean, the white fleshed root is available year round and, when eaten raw, tastes sort of like a firm Bosc Pear. Regardless how you prepare it, its texture is such that it picks up flavors very well.

How do you choose a jicama?  Go for a medium sized jicama, as larger ones don’t have as distinct of a taste. And, grab the ones that are firm and dry.  Like many roots, wetness or soft spots can be an indication of deterioration/the beginning of rot.

Trying to keep a healthy diet and snack pattern?  Jicama is a great snack to grab, as it doesn’t discolor too, too fast and it great for you.  It is a tremendous source of vitamin c and is fat free! Check out its nutrition facts here.

Jicama is also a prime candidate for Weekend Herb Blogging which is being hosted by Anh from Food Lover’s Journey. You can participate, too! Mosey on over to Haalo’s place for a glance at the  rules.

Celebration Crostini

1 small Italian eggplant
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, in oil, diced
2 Tbsp. reserved sundried tomato oil
1/2 cup jicama, shredded or diced
salt and pepper to tasteItalian seasoning to taste
12 slices, each about ½-inch thick, of day old French or Italian bread

Wash the eggplant, then cut off each end with a stainless steel knife (so the eggplant doe not react and turn black). Dice the eggplant, sprinkle it with salt and allow it to rest for about 30 minutes to extract some of its water (which will help the eggplant not absorb as much oil during cooking).

Rinse/pat dry the eggplant after “sweating” to remove some of the salt.

Heat 1 Tbsp sundried tomato oil in a saucepan over medium high heat.  Sauté the eggplant until golden brown on both sides. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste.

Combine the eggplant in a medium bowl with the sundried tomatoes.  Add jicama and toss to combine.

In the meantime, prepare crostini. In a preheated 350F oven, place bread slices on the baking sheet. Rub each piece with garlic, then Brush with the remaining sundried tomato oil. Bake until crisp and lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
Top with eggplant mixture.

Jicama is a delicious, healthy legume cultivated in South America and, whether raw, boiled, mashed, fried, or baked, its versatility allows for even the pickiest eater to enjoy its starchy crunch.  Perfect for salads, salsas, and vegetable platters, Jicama is also a great substitute for water chestnuts.  Brilliant!  A cross between a turnip or a large radish, the white fleshed root is available year round and, when eaten raw, tastes sort of like a firm Bosc Pear. Regardless how you prepare it, its texture is such that it picks up flavors very well. How do you choose a jicama?  Go for a medium sized jicama, as larger ones don’t have as distinct of a taste. And, grab the ones that are firm and dry.  Like many roots, wetness or soft spots can be an indication of deterioration/the beginning of rot.   Trying to keep a healthy diet and snack pattern?  Jicama is a great snack to grab, as it doesn’t discolor too, too fast and it great for you.  It is a tremendous source of vitamin c and is fat free! http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2727/2  1 small Italian eggplant 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, in oil, diced 2 Tbsp. reserved sundried tomato oil 1/2 cup jicama, shredded or diced salt and pepper to taste Italian seasoning to taste 12 slices, each about ½-inch thick, of day old French or Italian bread http://www.ehow.com/how_2109083_slices-also-known-as-crostini.html Wash the eggplant, then cut off each end with a stainless steel knife (so the eggplant doe not react and turn black). Dice the eggplant, sprinkle it with salt and allow it to rest for about 30 minutes to extract some of its water (which will help the eggplant not absorb as much oil during cooking). Rinse the eggplant after “sweating” to remove some of the salt.  Heat 1 Tbsp sundried tomato oil in a saucepan over medium high heat.  Sauté the eggplant until golden brown on both sides. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste.  Combine the eggplant in a medium bowl with the sundried tomatoes.  Add jicama and toss to combine.  In the meantime, prepare crostini. In a preheated 350F oven, place bread slices on the baking sheet. Rub each piece with garlic, then Brush with the remaining sundried tomato oil. Bake until crisp and lightly golden, about 10 minutes.  Top with eggplant mixture.