panzanella salad

Hello my beloved friends!

I know what you’re thinking. (I always know what you’re thinking) Isn’t it a little late in the season for a tomato salad?! In a word, no.

So here’s the recipe.

Lolol jk! A few more words, since I insist on rambling on to you. This is a panzanella, or bread salad first and foremost. Yes, there are a ton of tomatoes in it, too. But, since tomatoes are not the sole focus of the dish, it’s perfect for the tail end of tomato season. If you can find beautiful, ripe fall tomatoes, hell yeah! You are in business. If you can’t, opt for cherry tomatoes or other smaller tomatoes typically found in plastic clamshell-style containers, as these tend to be tastier at any time of the year. The dressing for this beauty is inspired by the flavors of harissa, a North African chili paste. Caraway, cumin, and coriander give the dressing a beautiful depth that’s rounded out by chili flakes, garlic powder, and a bit of honey. Not your average tomato salad with a balsamic drizzle (not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course)! This recipe was created to accompany the 7th episode of Friends With Food, the podcast I co-host with Heather Kellogg Baumann. Give it a listen! And enjoy this tomato— er, this bread salad!

Ta!

Zoe Rose

panzanella salad

Note: Use the ripest tomatoes you can find for this salad. If tomatoes aren’t in season, stick to cherry tomatoes and any smaller tomatoes you find in a plastic clamshell style container, as these tend to be tasty any time of year. You want about 3 cups sliced tomatoes for the salad, use any combination of sizes and shapes you’d like.

dressing: 

⅓ c extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp honey

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp lemon juice

¼ tsp cumin

¼ tsp coriander

¼ tsp caraway

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp kosher salt

a few generous grinds of black pepper

salad:

2 thick slices of sourdough or your favorite crusty loaf

extra virgin olive oil

1 pint / 2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 large, ripe, heirloom tomato

1 large handful leafy greens such as arugula, spinach, or baby kale

1 large handful crunchy greens such as frisee, butter leaf lettuce, or romaine

1 large handful fresh basil

1 scallion, thinly sliced

flakey salt

black pepper

optional add ins:

fresh mozzarella or feta cheese

instructions:

To make the dressing, place all ingredients in a small jar or bowl. If using a jar, close the lid tightly and shake vigorously to emulsify. If using a bowl, whisk vigorously to do the same. I like to use a jar for ease.

To make the salad, cut two thick slices of your favorite sourdough or other crusty loaf. The slices should be at least an inch thick. Drizzle both sides of bread with olive oil. Heat a grill pan or frying pan over medium high heat and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil (you can also use an outdoor grill if you have one handy!). When the pan is hot, add the bread. Cook for a few minutes on each side, until bread is well toasted- a little char is nice! Remember the bread will soften up in the salad so don’t worry if it feels hard. Sprinkle the bread with a little salt while it’s cooking, and again once flipped. When bread is done, let cool slightly then cut into large croutons.

Slice your tomatoes; the cherry tomatoes in half, and any large tomatoes into thick slices. Place in a large bowl. Add a large handful each of leafy greens, crunchy lettuce torn into bite sized pieces, and torn fresh basil leaves (save a few basil leaves to scatter over the top of the salad, if you like). Add the croutons to the bowl and pour the dressing over top. Mix gently but thoroughly to combine. Transfer the salad to a large platter, and scatter the scallion and any remaining basil leaves over top. Finish with a bit of flakey salt and fresh ground black pepper.