In my former career as a pastry chef, this was made at the last
restaurant I worked in. After the BS I encountered there, I decided
that restaurants were not for me! I lived in Tacoma at the time, and
was working in a private club in Seattle called The Ruins. This was a
60-70 mile commute every day! So when I heard that a chef with a local
reputation was opening a new restaurant about 6 blocks from my house,
I decided to ask if they had a pastry chef. They hadn't even thought
of it, but I wooed them with a few things, and they hired me. As a new
restaurant, the starting pay was $8.50 an hour, which was considerably
less than what I was making in Seattle, but I wanted to be closer to
home, and thought it would be worth it. Was I wrong!!! Long story
short, I asked for a raise after a couple of months of 35-40% dessert
sales, and got one-.15 cents per hour! The last straw was when a
dishwasher was hired as a line cook making the same money as me, who
had gone to school to earn my Pastry Certificate. It was quite a slap
in the face. So I quit!! Some of the food was really good, and this is
one of our favorite things for dinner. I hope you enjoy it!
Grilled Bread Salad
This is suppossed to be for one person, so multiply as needed
1 thick slice Ciabatta
1 oz.olive oil
1 roma tomato, quartered lengthwise
1/3 red onion, sectioned into 3
1 Italian sausage, precooked and cut into 3-5 pieces
1/2 tsp garlic
pinch red pepper flakes
pinch oregano
2 oz. balsamic vinegarette (3 parts oil to 1 part balsamic)
pinch basil chiffonade
salt & pepper
1. Season bread with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mark well on the
grill (or broiler), cut into chunks, and set aside.
2. Heat o.o. in saute pan and cook the sausage & onion until golden
and cooked thru.
3. Add the garlic, oregano, and hot peppers and toast the garlic
slightly.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook slightly longer-tomatoes should be
softened, but still have plenty of bite.
5. Combine with the bread, vinegarette, and basil-toss to coat and
serve.