CAKE SALÉ AUX TOMATES, MOZZARELLA ET BASILIC, p. 296
This is, as she suggests in the headnote, essentially caprese salad in quick-bread form. Roasted cherry tomatoes are the only out-of-season fresh tomatoes I bother with, so I figured I’d brighten up my table on a chilly, storm-soaked day with this recipe.
My various minor deviations: I used just 2 tablespoons of olive oil to roast the tomatoes and garlic rather than 1/4 cup, and that was plenty to coat them and still yielded at least twice the tablespoon of post-roasting liquid you’re to add to the batter (I went ahead and added 2 tablespoons’ worth to no detriment). I used DC kosher salt rather than fine sea salt, and less than the equivalent amount called for in both the tomatoes and the batter. That was a good call because, even without salty add-ins, the batter tasted quite salty and the finished bread was well-salted but not oversalted. I used dried buttermilk powder and skipped the tablespoon of chives because I had none. I used fresh mozzarella packed in plastic, as recommended, and while I eyeballed rather than measuring the volume of cubed cheese, I’d say using the full 8 ounces or just a bit less works. I split the recipe between a 4-cup capacity loaf pan and two minis.
I served the larger loaf cooled almost to room temperature the day I baked it to accompany a more-seasonal cauliflower velouté, and the wrapped minis went into the fridge. I sliced part of one two days after baking and warmed the slices briefly, and the crumb was as soft and nice as when fresh. Over all, I like the flavor a lot, though I can’t detect the garlic or parmesan per se. I might increase the amount of tomatoes by a bit, and I’d definitely increase the basil.
