Toast is hot right now. Everywhere I go, I’m checking out somebody’s toast. No, that’s not code. I’m actually checking out their toast. Like for instance, last week out at dinner. My husband and I went to a great farm to table restaurant and I had the most gorgeous toast. Toasted walnut-raisin bread with asparagus, caramelized onions and a poached egg. My my. That is where the inspiration came for dinner. I knew that waiting for me in my refrigerator were two bunches of mustard greens. Thinking of the perfect use for them on my drive home, I thought, of course- toast! Served with Creamy Carrot Soup, this was a picture perfect dinner.
Garlic Toasts with Caramelized Onions, Sauteed Mustard Greens and Goat Cheese
Sliced sourdough
olive oil
3 cloves garlic, one peeled, 2 crushed
2 bunches Mustard Greens (or spinach/chard), rinsed and roughly chopped
2 onions, peeled and sliced
1 t sugar
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 T balsamic vinegar
goat cheese
All three of these things will be cooking at once, so get your apron on and get into it.
Preheat your oven to 450. Add 2 T olive oil to a large pan until hot. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally until starting to brown, about 15 minues. Add sugar and broth and cook until evaporated. Take off the heat and add vinegar. Stir until syrupy.
While the onions are cooking, brush your sliced sourdough with olive oil on both sides and put on a sheet pan in the oven. Once one side is toasted (about 5 minutes or so), flip and toast the other side (usually toasts a bit quicker than the first side.) Remove from the oven. Cut a peeled garlic clove in half and rub the clove back and forth on your toasts.
In another large saute pan, saute your crushed garlic in hot oil for 1 minute. Add chopped greens and saute until wilted. If using mustard greens, add a 1/2 cup of broth and cook until evaporated.
Place your toasts on a tray, spread with goat cheese and top with greens and caramelized onions. Mmm…it just occurred to me that maybe some chopped toasted walnuts on top would have been good, too. Next time..
17 Bites 
This looks spectacular. Just amazingggggg. If you came up with this, you are a genius! gorgeous photo.
Thanks! Now I’m dreaming up all the other tasty combinations! There could be some serious toast going on through the summer!
I always get confused when I see Mustard Greens. Same as collard greens? Regardless, looks fantastic.
Different than collards which are wide and flat. These are long with jagged edges. Their really a weed, but quite a delicious (and healthy) one! You can really use any type of dark leafy green though and it would be just as good.
Love this idea! I’ll be trying this very soon!
Yum!! What a great idea. Can’t wait to give this a go! And if I may, what farm-to-table restaurant served as your inspiration?
Hi Mae! I had that fabulous appetizer at Huntley Tavern. Had quite a lovely dinner there actually. I had been there for drinks but never for dinner. Have you been there?
Hi Robin – these look wonderful. There is actually a restaurant we frequent and all they serve is toast! They call is bruschetta of course – but they have about fifteen or twenty seasonal topping varieties each week. An order includes four pieces of toast, with the toppings that you choose. I don’t know why I never thought to try this at home, but it is on my list for next week. And serving it with soup – genius.
Works well for a family dinner, but I am also imagining hors d’oeuvres of “make your own” — toasted bread and a big pretty topping bar … and you are so right that toast is ‘hot’ right now! Thanks for the inspiration.
Ooh- love that idea of the make your own…great for a get together with friends- so simple, yet it looks so sophisticated. And ha- call it a bruchetta bar and changes the whole mood!
yum! will have to head over to Huntley. we love that place but haven’t been in a little while. and as for that bruschetta restaurant – that sounds amazing!! wish there was one around here!