This summer, High Hampton Inn is unveiling an exciting new summer event – the Coast to the Mountains Summer Concert Series.  This music-filled evening will take place under the stars and feature a delicious menu of small bites and tapas.  The first concert will take place on June 23^rd with the remaining occurring on the fourth Thursday of the month, July-September.

In honor of the concert series, Chef Sean has created a new menu of pint-sized dishes that pack in the flavor.  The 12-Hour Tomato and Goat Cheese Bruschetta, which will be served on June 23^rd, is the perfect dish to enjoy while listing to live music.  These tasty toasts will feauture fresh local tomatoes, basil from the herb garden, and goat cheese.

12-Hour Tomato and Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups             12 Hour tomatoes (see recipe below)*

1                      French Baguette Bread

¼ cup              Red Onion (minced)

¼ cup             Extra Virgin Olive Oil

¼ cup              Capers

1 cup               Goat Cheese (crumbled)

¼ cup             Grated Parmesan Cheese

¼ cup              Fresh Basil (chiffonade)

*12 Hour Tomatoes

Yield: 3 cups

Ingredients:

8                      Tomatoes (large, not cored, cut in half vertically)

1 Tbsp.            Salt

1Tbsp.             Black Pepper (freshly ground)

¼ cup              Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbsp.            Garlic (minced)

8 tsp.               Coriander (ground)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Do not overlap.

Place the tomatoes, cut side up, evenly on the baking sheet. Season with the spices and salt on the cut side. Drizzle the olive oil over the top. Rub a little garlic on each tomato.

Bake for 8 to 12 hours or until the tomatoes have collapsed and shriveled to about ¼ inch thick. They should be moist inside. Cool completely, then refrigerate .

Tomatoes may be frozen or refrigerated for later use in airtight containers.

Bruschetta

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Cut the bread into ½ inch slices and brush them with the olive oil. Toast them in the oven for about 4-5 minutes, until they just barely brown.

Cut the tomatoes into pieces small enough to fit on the bread slices. In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes with the onions, basil, capers and parmesan cheese with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Place the tomato mixture on each slice of the bread and crumble a small amount of goat cheese on each piece.

Bake for 5-8 minutes in the oven until the cheese begins to melt and the bread is browning evenly.

On June 21^st, General Manager Clifford Meads and Chef Sean appeared on the Your Carolina with Jack & Kimberly show to discuss the Coast to the Mountains Summer Concert Series and the 12-Hour Tomato and Goat Cheese Bruschetta.  Watch what they had to say!