Recipe Creation: Fava Bean + Burrata + Radish Crostini

Holy goodness! I have been obsessed with fava beans for some time now and LOVE that so many San Francisco restaurants are offering a variety of dishes showcasing this lovely little green bean.  My favorite dish with fava beans has to be a fava crostini. I recently had one at Firefly, one at Locanda, and one at Contigo.  I decided to combine all of my favorite elements of those and add my two other favorite ingredients: radishes and burrata.  I also used Judy's Lovesticks to make the crostini, since I love the added nutty flavor the sunflower seeds add.  This dish is a perfect appetizer on a warm evening.  It's almost as beautiful as it is delicious.  Enjoy!

Makes 10-12 crostini

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. fresh fava beans
• 2 tbsp. finely grated parmesan
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped mint
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup fresh burrata cheese
• 2 radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. balsamic reduction
• 10-12 slices of baguette

Directions:

-Preheat the broiler and bring a medium saucepan of salted water to boil. 

-Remove the favas from the shells and blanch in boiling water for about 5 minutes.

-Transfer favas to a small ice bath to cool and peel off the waxy outer layer.

-In a small Cuisinart, combine the favas, parmesan, olive oil, mint, and lemon juice.

-Pulse until well blended, but not perfectly smooth.

-Meanwhile, brush bread slices with olive oil and broil for 1 minute on each side.

-Remove from oven and slather with a spoonful of the fava mixture.

-Top with radish slices, a dollop of burrata, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction.

-Garnish with any leftover mint leaves and transfer to a platter for immediate consumption.

Recipe Creation: Mexican Street Corn Crostini

I have a total obsession with corn and I always have bittersweet feelings about this time of year.  As much as I love fall and winter vegetables, I know this is my last chance to get fresh corn.  Since the season is coming to an end, I figured I needed to take advantage of these last few weeks of availability.  This recipe puts the deliciousness of Mexican street corn right on a perfectly grilled slice of ciabatta.  A perfect marriage of flavors, and just in time!

Makes 12

Ingredients:

• 2 ears of corn, shucked
• 1/4 cup light sour cream
• 5 tbsp queso fresco
• Ciabatta, sliced
• Chili powder
• Olive oil
• Vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, quartered
• Salt & Pepper

Directions:

-Preheat grill to medium.

-Rub corn with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper.

-Grill until slightly browned, but still firm.  Cut the corn off the cob in chunks.

-Meanwhile, brush ciabatta slices with olive oil and grill until toasted.

-Mix the sour cream with 3 tablespoons of queso fresco.

-Smear the mixture on each slice of grilled ciabatta.

-Top each slice with grilled corn, a pinch of chili powder and a little cilantro.

-Sprinkle with extra queso fresco, salt & pepper, and a squeeze of lime.

¡Que Rico!

Restaurant (Re)creation: SPQR's Burrata Crostini

~SPQR's Burrata Crostini~

~Close-up of my Burrata Crostini (Re)creation~

~My Burrata Crostini (Re)creation~

SPQR does many things well, but my favorite dishes are their starters and antipasti.  I had this crostini at SPQR for brunch one day and it was love at first bite.  Its the perfect dish to whet your appetite and its very much a crowd pleaser.  It looks sophisticated but its surprisingly easy and wonderfully scrumptious.  The crostini at SPQR is topped with burrata, fried sage, hazelnuts, chili, and honey.  To add a twist to their version, I used truffle honey instead and omitted the chili.  I also used a bit of fried rosemary in addition to the sage.  You can do plenty of variations depending on your mood, your taste buds, and what's leftover in your fridge.

Ingredients:

• Rustic baguette, cut into 1/2 slices
• 1 container of resh burrata
• 20 sage leaves
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• Truffle honey (or regular honey)
• 1/2 cup raw (or roasted) hazelnuts
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

For the hazelnuts:

Preheat oven to 400.  Place hazelnuts in a baking dish and bake for 10-15 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Cover hazelnuts with a towel to steam and let them cool (5 minutes).

With your fingers, rub the skins off the hazelnuts to the best of your ability and set aside.

For the sage & rosemary:

Pour 1 tbsp olive oil into a small skillet.  Remove rosemary leaves from stem.  Add sage and rosemary leaves and fry until crispy (5 minutes).

Remove leaves with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to dry.

For the crostini:

Brush olive oil on both sides of each slice of bread.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, turning over once so they are crispy on both sides.

Assembly:

Generously spread burrata on each crostini, then top with sage, rosemary and hazelnuts.   Drizzle with truffle honey and enjoy.

Bón Appetit

SPQR
spqrsf.com
1911 Filmore St
San Francisco, CA
(415) 771-7779