Strawberries Over Fire
When the weather warms and the outdoor fire gets lit, Stephen’s cooking gets quieter. A handful of fruit. A thick slice of bread. A generous pour of olive oil and a pinch of salt. The point is never to do much.
We built this recipe around what’s at the Sebastopol Farmers Market right now: Stony Point strawberries at the height of their season, fresh goat cheese from Mt. Eitan Creamery, a country loaf from Marla Bakery. Everything else comes from our pantry — Estate Tuscan Blend olive oil and a splash of Aceto Vivo (red wine vinegar) to tie the sweet and tart together.
Ingredients
- 1 pint ripe strawberries (Stony Point Petaluma), hulled and halved
- 3 tablespoons Estate Tuscan Blend olive oil, divided, plus more for finishing
- 1 teaspoon Aceto Vivo, red wine vinegar
- Flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 4 thick slices of country bread (Marla Bakery)
- 1 small garlic clove, halved (optional)
- 4 ounces fresh goat cheese (Mt. Eitan Creamery, or another local chèvre), at room temperature
- A small handful of fresh mint or tarragon leaves, torn
Instructions
- Build the fire.
- Get your grill or open fire hot enough that the strawberries will char in thirty seconds and the bread will toast in a minute. A medium-high cast iron grate works just as well!
- Dress the strawberries.
- In a small bowl, toss the halved strawberries with 2 tablespoons of the Estate Tuscan Blend, the Aceto Vivo, a pinch of flaky salt, and a few cracks of black pepper. Let them sit while you toast the bread, five minutes is plenty for the juices to start running.
- Grill the bread.
- Brush the slices on both sides with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Lay them on the grill until they have dark stripes and a little crisp at the edges — about 30 to 60 seconds per side. While each piece is still warm, rub it lightly with the cut side of the garlic clove if you like (a soft hand here — you want a whisper, not a wallop).
- Char the strawberries.
- Lift the strawberries out of their bowl with a slotted spoon, save the juices behind. Lay them cut-side down on the hottest part of the grill. Char for about thirty seconds, just until grill marks form and you catch a wisp of smoke. Return them to the bowl with the reserved juices and give one gentle toss.
- Assemble.
- Spread each piece of warm grilled bread with a generous swipe of goat cheese. Spoon the charred strawberries on top, drizzling over any juice left in the bowl. Finish with a fresh drizzle of Estate Tuscan Blend, the torn mint or tarragon, a last pinch of flaky salt, and one more cracks of black pepper.
- Serve immediately.
- While the bread is still warm and the cheese is soft. Pour the 2024 Viognier and sit outside as long as the light holds.
