Sunday Feast № 46 | Grilled Escarole Toasts with Salmon Roe

Simplicity is happiness. "Really?!", you pull back and purse your lips. Take a look at this! As simple as it gets! Grilling and good produce brought together to get the feel good factor going. And I have you know that I woke up uncustomarily early for a weekend day, and for me, and started the day with crème fraîche and salmon roe courtesy of œufs en cocotte, so you would think I have had enough crème fraîche and salmon roe already. Come lunch, this tweaked recipe from Food & Wine magazine October 2015 issue was on the menu (more thyme and infusing the olive oil with thyme and garlic, microwave has to have its purpose). Great as an appetizer, too. Add a glass or more of your favorite dry white wine, and you will be as happy. Trust me.

1 head escarole ¼ cup + extra olive oil 1 tbsp thyme leaves 1 garlic clove minced 4 thyme sprigs salt and pepper 9 ~½ in/1 cm thick baguette slices cut on a wide diagonal crème fraîche and salmon roe, for serving

Light either a grill or warm up cast iron griddle over the stove burners. Clean the escarole without breaking the head apart. Shake excess water and gently pat dry. In a small bowl, whisk ¼ cup oil with the thyme and garlic. Warm the oil with thyme and garlic in the microwave for 30 s - to infuse the oil, but you can skip this part. Brush the escarole with the oil mixture and season with salt and pepper. Grill over moderate heat until charred outside and tender within, turning it around occasionally, ~ 20 min. Brush a few times with the oil mixture during grilling. When done, transfer to a cutting board and let it cool, then chop coarsely. Brush the baguette slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until lightly charred on both sides, ~ 2 min each side. In a large bowl, toss grilled escarole with any remaining oil mixture (thyme and garlic infused oil). Season with salt and pepper. Top the toasts with the escarole, crème fraîche and salmon roe, and serve.