Dinner Toasts

Great idea from the New York Times, Martha Rose Shulman, Recipes for Health.

Toast needn’t be just a breakfast thing. If you’ve got a loaf of wholesome bread on hand, you’ve got the makings of a quick, simple, healthy supper. Cut thick slices, toast them lightly, rub them with a cut clove of garlic, brush with olive oil and then pile something on top. That something can be as simple as the vegetable soup or ratatouille left over from last night’s dinner -- not enough for a real portion on its own, but too good to throw out. Or the topping can be something you make from scratch, like today’s recipe for scrambled eggs with asparagus.

Toppings for bruschetta, like those for pasta and pizza, can be conjured from almost anything — pantry staples to vegetables from the farmers’ market. But you should be picky about the kind of bread you use. Seek out whole-grain breads, which retain fiber and nutrients from the germ and bran. You’ll also find that whole-grain breads have a nuttier, more satisfying flavor than white bread.

Bruschetta With Scrambled Eggs and Asparagus
To get really creamy scrambled eggs, cook them slowly over low heat. The asparagus contributes vitamins K, A and C, as well as folate. In all this is a comforting, high-protein mix.

• 1/2 pound asparagus, tough ends broken off and discarded
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 6 eggs
• 1 tablespoon low-fat milk
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon snipped chives
• 4 to 8 thick slices country bread
• 1 garlic clove, cut in half
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1. Steam the asparagus above one inch of boiling water for five to eight minutes (depending on how thick the stalks are) until tender. Remove from the heat, rinse briefly with cold water, drain and slice 1/2 inch thick.
2. Toast the bread, rub with the cut clove of garlic, and brush with olive oil. Set aside on plates or on a platter.
3. Beat together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Heat a medium nonstick frying pan over low heat, and add the butter. When it has melted and is just beginning to bubble, add the eggs. Cook slowly, stirring with a heat-proof rubber spatula, until the eggs are just set but still creamy. Stir in the asparagus and chives, and remove from the heat. Spoon onto the bruschetta and serve.
Yield: Serves four
Advance preparation: Steamed asparagus will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator.