"The holidays are a busy time of year and planning and preparing ahead can make all the difference", suggests Linda. Ms. Haynes provides you with easy Crostini recipes for entertaining, not only for the holidays, but all year round. Preparing for holiday get togethers has never been so easy or so delicious.

The ACE Bakery Cookbook is an award-winning bestseller featuring recipes for and with bread, from appetizers to main dishes that are both quick and easy, to elegant entertaining ideas. One of North America's leading artisan bakeries, ACE Bakery's famous baguettes and artisan breads are available throughout Ontario as well as in New York and the Midwest U.S.A.

ACE Bakery opened in 1993 as an artisan bakery creating hand-made, European-style rustic breads. The gentle shaping of each loaf, long fermentation periods and a stone deck oven all work to create exceptionally flavorful products with a light airy texture and crisp golden crust. The breads contain no preservatives and are made with the best all-natural ingredients. Partially baked, then flash frozen to naturally preserve their quality and freshness, the breads are then shipped directly to grocery stores where trained staff finish the baking process. The bakery staff provide customers with hot, freshly-baked ACE baguettes every day of the week.

ACE Bakery sells artisan breads to hundreds of restaurants, hotels, caterers, grocery and gourmet food shops in Ontario, Quebec, New York and the Midwest. Community involvement is an essential part of ACE's philosophy. The company donates a percentage of its net profits to charitable organizations in the principal centers where ACE breads are sold. ACE's focus is on food and nutrition programs that assist low-income members of the community, financing culinary scholarships and supporting organic farming initiatives. All royalties from the sale of The ACE Bakery Cookbook are donated to support these efforts.

Grilled Shrimp and Avocado Butter Crostini

Makes 12 pieces

The crispness of the bread, the creaminess of the avocado, and the crunch of the shrimp make a mouthwatering combination. If you can't find the chipotle and ancho peppers, substitute chili or cayenne pepper to taste. You can prepare all the components ahead of time and serve cool, but I prefer the taste of these crostini when the bread and shrimp are still warm.

Avocado Butter
1 avocado, peeled, pit removed
juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) finely minced onion
1/8 tsp. (.5 mL) kosher salt
1/8 tsp. (.5 mL) freshly ground white pepper
1/8 tsp. (.5 mL) chipotle pepper, or to taste
1/8 tsp. (.5 mL) ancho pepper, or to taste
2 tsp. (10 mL) shredded fresh basil

Shrimp
½ cup (120 mL) vegetable or canola oil
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) lemon juice
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) minced garlic
12 extra large shrimp, head off, shell on and de-veined
1/8 tsp. (.5 mL) freshly ground white pepper

Crostini
12 slices of ACE baguette cut ¼ inch (.6-cm) thick
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ tsp. (7.5 mL) finely minced jalapeno pepper for garnish (optional)

For the Avocado Butter
I like the avocado butter very smooth. If you prefer it chunky, mash accordingly. Place three-quarters of the lime juice and all the other ingredients, except the basil, in a blender or food processor. Blend and taste. Add the basil and more lime juice and spices if you like. Put in a bowl and press plastic wrap to the surface of the avocado butter to prevent it from turning brown. Refrigerate if not using with the hour. Bring to room temperature before assembly.

For the Shrimp
Pour the oil into a dish large enough to hold all the shrimp in one layer. Mix the lemon juice and the garlic into the oil. Toss the shrimps in the oil until they are well coated. Marinate at room temperature for half to three-quarters of an hour, turning occasionally.

Heat a grill, cast iron skillet, or grill pan until very hot. Cook the shrimp on both sides until they are bright pink and cooked through, approximately 90 seconds per side. Check to see if they are cooked to your liking by cutting a small piece from the thick part of one shrimp. Remove from the heat and cool just to the point at which you can peel them.

For the Crostini
Toast or grill the bread and then brush with a little olive oil. Spread the avocado butter thickly over each slice and top with a warm shrimp. Garnish with some jalapeño pepper if you want a bit more bite.

The ACE Bakery Cookbook ©

Edamame Hummus

Makes 2 cups (475 mL)

Edamame are green soybeans, popular in Japan. Frozen edamame are sold in health food and gourmet stores as well as in Japanese grocery stores. You can buy them in their pods or not. All they need is a quick boil and they're ready to go. Italians make a similar purée to this one, with fava beans. If you have ever peeled, boiled, and peeled again a batch of fava beans, you'll know why I prefer this alternative. Serve this hummus warm with thinly sliced, toasted or grilled baguette. This purée is also wonderful as a warm bed for grilled scallops or salmon.

2 ½ cups (600 mL) cooked shelled edamame (see Cook's Tip)
½ cup (120 mL) or more extra virgin olive oil, and extra for drizzling
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) lemon juice
¼ to ½ tsp. (1.2 to 2.5 mL) kosher salt
1/8 tsp. (.5 mL) freshly ground white pepper
1 tsp. (5 mL) fresh minced chives (optional)
a pinch of chunky sea salt (optional)

Put the edamame in a food processor or blender and process for 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides and drizzle in ½ cup (120 mL) olive oil and the lemon juice. Pulse until fairly smooth, scraping down the sides when necessary.

Add salt and pepper. The beans tend to soak up a lot of oil, so add more if necessary. Fold in the chives, if using, and taste. Add more lemon juice, salt or pepper if needed.

Spoon into a bowl and drizzle with more oil and the chunky sea salt if desired. Serve with thinly sliced, toasted bread slices.

The hummus freezes well.

Cook's Tip:

Frozen edamame are sold two ways. One package of shelled beans yields 2 ½ cups (600 mL) of beans. If you buy unshelled beans, one package yields 1 cup (240 mL) after removing the beans from their shells.

The ACE Bakery Cookbook ©

Grilled Radicchio and Fontina Bruschetta

Serves 4 to 8

Grilled radicchio taste wonderful. They become slightly caramelized when cooked, giving the peppery taste a sweet undertone. Fontina cheese brings all the flavors together. No need to use your best quality balsamic vinegar here. A medium-priced bottle will do. If you prefer a less peppery taste, try making this with Belgian endive

2 large long radicchio heads (Treviso), sliced lengthwise
1 ½ Tbsp. (22.5 mL) olive oil
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) balsamic vinegar
pinch of both salt and pepper
8 to 12 slices of ACE baguette sliced ½ inch (1.2 cm) thick
1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise
3 to 4 oz. (85 to 113 g) fontina cheese, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) minced Italian parsley (optional)

Brush the radicchio with olive oil. Grill over high heat, 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the radicchio has softened slightly and is charred. Place in a shallow bowl and toss with the vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Preheat the oven to broil. Grill or toast the bread on both sides and rub one side gently with the cut side of the garlic clove. Brush with a little olive oil.

Chop the radicchio into ½-inch (1.2-cm) slices and mound on the bread. Top with slices of fontina. Don't worry about completely covering the radicchio. The bruschetta looks better with some of the vegetables peeking through.

Broil until the cheese melts. Sprinkle with a little parsley and serve.

The ACE Bakery Cookbook ©

For more information, contact Samantha Mesrobian, 416/241-3600 ext. 305, bread@acebakery.com.


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