SALAD
Greek Panzanella
How Easy Is That? (p. 89)
Ingredients
- Rustic bread 1/2 loaf
- Cucumber 1
- Red bell pepper 1
- Yellow bell pepper 1
- Cherry or grape tomatoes 1 pint
- Red wine vinegar 1/4 cup
- Red onion 1/2 onion
- Garlic 2 cloves
- Oregano 1/2 tsp
- Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp
- Feta cheese 1/2 lb
- Kalamata olives 1/2 cup
Prep
- Bread - dice into small cubes
- Cucumber - cut in half lengthwise, seed and then slice 1/2 inch thick
- Peppers - seed and large-dice
- Tomatoes - cut in half
- Onion - thinly slice in half rounds — precision is optional right up until it absolutely is not.
- Garlic - mince — this is the little hinge that swings the big delicious door.
- Cheese - dice
- Olives - pitted
Instructions
Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan until hot. Add the bread and sprinkle with salt and pepper; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently for 5 to 10 minutes until nicely browned and set aside. Place the cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onion in a large bowl and toss together. For the vinaigrette, place the vinegar, garlic, oregano, mustard and 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper in a small bowl and whisk together. While whisking, slowly add 1/2 cup of olive oil to make an emulsion. Add the feta, olives and bread to the vegetables in the bowl, add the vinaigrette, and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to devleop. Season to taste and serve at room temperature, while resisting the deeply human urge to fuss with it nonstop.