Late Spring Crostini with Fennel Frond Gremolata

It may technically be late spring but in Houston we already have the humidity and heat that makes it feel as if summer has arrived. You can't walk outside without being enveloped in the unwelcome embrace of humid air. The humidity is mostly to blame on the torrential downpours and floods we've been having for what seems like the entire month of May. I think the rains are over for now though in their wake is a swarm of buzzing mosquitoes. Before it gets too terribly hot outside I wanted to share these crostini with you as spring produce is fleeting in these parts.

I was actually planning on sharing something cold and sweet here today but I decided against it because I had the overwhelming urge to bake some bread and use up these veggies before they met their demise in the crisper. Typically I don't dream of baking bread when the mercury starts to rise, but I received Erin McKenna's latest book "Bread & Butter" in the mail this past week. Erin of Babycakes fame just released this stunner filled with all sorts of bread-y recipes to satisfy the biggest of gluten-free carb lovers among us. In trying to figure out which recipe to try out first, I narrowed it down to the focaccia, the plain sandwich bread, and the pizza dough. Since fresh baked bread is my jam, I decided to go with the sandwich bread. And since I wanted the bread to have more of a purpose than going directly into my belly as fast as my hands could get it into my mouth, I decided to make some springy crostini!

Fennel has become a new love of mine since making this creamy broccoli and fennel soup several times during the colder months. It takes on such an amazing flavor when it's roasted as the licorice flavors mellow and caramelize. I spotted some at the market this past weekend so I immediately snatched it up. For these crostini I pair it with spicy radishes and earthy asparagus to create a tangle of roasted veggie goodness. Since I like different textures, I threw some almonds in the mix for a bit of crunch. To create a bit of contrast and be mindful about reducing waste, I made a fresh gremolata out of fennel fronds, lemon zest, and garlic to top the crostini. If you don't have any bread, you can serve this over some greens or you favorite cooked grain and it will still be delicious.

Late Spring Crostini with Fennel Frond Gremolata

roasted veggie mixture

1 small bulb of fennel (reserve fronds for gremolata)
3-4 radishes
6 or 7 spears of asparagus
small handful of sliced almonds
salt/pepper to taste
olive oil
juice from 1/2 of a small lemon

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Clean the veggies well and trim off any ends or cores if necessary. Slice everything into similar sized pieces and put it on a baking sheet. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the veggies, season with a bit of salt and pepper, then toss to coat. Roast the veggies for a total of 15 minutes until the edges just start to caramelize. During the last 5 minutes of roasting time, toss in the almonds. Once you remove the baking sheet from the oven, squeeze the lemon juice over the veggies and toss to combine. Set aside the veggies until you are ready to assemble the crostini.

gremolata

2 tbsp finely chopped fennel fronds
zest of 1 small lemon
1 small garlic clove, finely minced

Combine all of the ingredients together in a small bowl, making sure to mix well. Set aside until ready to use.

crostini & assembly

6-10 slices of your favorite gluten free bread (the amount of slices depends on the size of the bread)
olive oil
smoked sea salt or other flaky sea salt (optional, but highly recommended)

Depending on the size of your bread, you may wish to cut it in half to make smaller crostini. Lightly drizzle the slices of bread with a bit of olive oil, then toast them to your liking. I prefer to lightly toast the bread so it is golden on the edges. Top each piece of bread with a heaped spoonful of the veggie mixture, then sprinkle the gremolata over the top. Finish with a pinch of smoked sea salt if you wish. Makes 6 to 10 crostini depending on the size of the bread. Serve warm or at room temperature.