Crostini with Guacamole, Tapenade & Aïoli

Everyone knows that our country is a melting pot. That's especially evident on the first Sunday in February as people across the U.S. join together to watch the Super Bowl and enjoy a melting pot of flavors. The chefs at The Culinary Institute of America came up with an international menu of dips and spreads you can offer your guests. Nearly everyone eats their dips with some sort of chips, but why not try something different and easy this year? Serve them with freshly baked Italian Crostini.

Crostini are simple and quick to make, and they offer the busy cook a wide variety of flavor, textures, and colors. "Meaning 'little toasts' in Italian, Crostini refers both to a toasted piece of Italian or French bread," says CIA Chef Dwayne LiPuma. "They should be easy to pick up, and small enough to eat in one or two bites. Thinly slice the bread in rounds or at an angle, and you can toast, grill, or broil them for more flavor and texture."

Tapenade, a delicious paste made of ground Kalamata olives, and aïoli originated in the Provençe region of France. Aïoli is traditionally made with egg yolks, oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and spices, but the recipe below uses store-bought mayonnaise to save time.

Guacamole, another favorite dip at Super Bowl time, is made from mashed avocados, lemon or lime juice, and chile peppers. It's so simple to make—preparing your own fresh guacamole at home is a great alternative to purchasing ready-made products. To prevent browning, it's best to work quickly, and before refrigerating, cover guacamole with a layer of plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the mixture.

The following recipes can be found in The Culinary Institute of America's Gourmet Meals in Minutes (Lebhar-Friedman, 2004) available at bookstores or at www.ciastore.com.

Watch the video on Youtube >

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Guacamole

Makes 8 servings

• 10 avocados, halved, pitted, and peeled
• 6 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tomato, diced (optional)
• 1 jalapeño (optional), seeded and minced
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or as needed
• Salt, as needed
• Freshly ground black pepper, as needed

1. Mash the avocados with a fork.
2. Add the lime juice, tomato, jalapeño, scallions, and cilantro, and adjust seasoning with the Tabasco sauce, salt, and pepper.
3. Hold the guacamole under refrigeration in a tightly covered storage container. It is best to make guacamole the same day it is to be served.

Nutrition analysis with tomato per ounce: 35 calories, 1g protein, 2g carbohydrate, 31g fat, 20mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol, 2g fiber.

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Tapenade

Makes 8 servings

• 2 cups pitted kalamata or other cured black olives
• 3 anchovy fillets, drained
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, rosemary, or basil

1. Put the olives, anchovy fillets, capers, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse the machine on and off in short blasts until a coarse paste forms. There should still be distinct pieces of olive in the mixture.
2. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil until the paste is smooth enough to spread, though it should be slightly chunky.
3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice and fresh herbs. Serve at room temperature.

Note: Tapenade keeps for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Nutrition analysis per ounce: 90 calories, 1g protein, 2g carbohydrate, 9g fat, 0mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol, 0g fiber.

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Aïoli

Makes approximately 1 cup

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove, minced

1. Combine the mayonnaise and garlic.

Nutrition analysis per ounce: 110 calories, 0g protein, 7g carbohydrate, 9g fat, 200mg sodium, 5mg cholesterol, 0g fiber.

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Crostini

Makes approximately 24

• 1 Baguette

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Slice the baguette in 1/4-inch-thick rounds or cut on a bias. Place the slices on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the outside edges are golden brown.

Nutrition analysis per ounce: 5 calories, 0g protein, 1g carbohydrate, 0g fat, 10mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol, 0g fiber.

Comments

[Donna Davies]

You can find the recipe to Mole Rojo here:

http://www.ciaprochef.com/CFA/mexico/Oaxaca_Recipes.pdf

[Adán M. Medrano]

Could you let me know where I can find Iliana de la Vega's recipe for mole rojo? I saw her CIA demonstration video and she says that the recipe is on the CIA website. However, I'm unable to find it.
thank you.
Adán M. Medrano