Author Notes
Can't get enough basil! This recipe invites mascarpone and smoked fish to join the archetypal basil- tomato pairing. First make the mascarpone schmear and refrigerate for at least 8 hours for the flavors to develop The bread in the photo is an asiago cheese pugliese, but I hope to try this again with a dark rye or multi-grain loaf. —AppleAnnie
Ingredients
- Basil-Mascarpone "Schmear"
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4 ounces
mascarpone cheese
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1/2 cup
basil leaves, loosely packed
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1 tablespoon
fresh parsley
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1 teaspoon
your best balsamic vinegar
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1/2 teaspoon
fresh lemon juice
- Open Face Sandwich
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4
slices of artisan bread
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1-2
ripe heirloom tomatoes
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4
small pieces of smoked fish (I used Duck Trap smoked mackerel)
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salt and pepper
Directions
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Cut the basil into small shreds, and the parsley into small snips. Process the herbs, mascarpone, balsamic, and lemon juice in a mini-prep or food processor until the leaves are pulverized and all ingredients are well blended. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight for the flavors to develop. It doesn't taste like much before the long refrigeration, but the chilling works wonders.
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To assemble the sandwich, slather the bread with the basil-mascarpone "schmear." Next, layer on a few small pieces of smoked fish, and top with a generous slice of heirloom tomato. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the tomato and the slice of summer sandwich is complete.
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