HEIRLOOM TOMATO PANZANELLA RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat a stove-top grill. Brush the bread with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and grill for 10 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. If you don't have a stove-top grill, heat the oil in a large sauté pan, add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.
• For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, mustard, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Toss with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Season liberally with salt and pepper and arrange the vegetables artfully on a platter. Drizzle the bread with extra vinaigrette or olive oil and add to the platter.
• Serve immediately, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the bread into bite sized pieces (approximately 1” in size). Add the bread cubes to a large bowl. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the bread cubes. Season the bread cubes liberally with salt and pepper. Toss the cubes, adding another tablespoon of oil if needed. Spread the cubes out on a large baking sheet.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until crisp and lightly browned. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the bread cubes to cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, prepare the tomatoes by coring large tomatoes before dicing or simply slicing cherry or grape sized tomatoes in half or quarters. The tomato pieces should be bite sized, slightly smaller than the cubes of bread. Place the tomato pieces in a bowl and toss with the teaspoon of sea salt. Transfer the salted tomatoes to a small colander set over the bowl to catch the juices as they drain away from the tomatoes.
• In a small pot over low heat, warm the 3 tablespoons olive oil, sliced garlic, sundried tomatoes, and tablespoon of oil from the sundried tomatoes until fragrant. Continue to cook over low heat for 2-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. The flavors of the garlic and sundried tomatoes will infuse the olive oil with their delicious flavors.
• All of this prep work can be done hours ahead of time. The bread, tomatoes, and olive oil infusion can be allowed to rest at room temperature until you are ready to assemble the panzanella. I recommend assembling the panzanella about 30 minutes before you intend to serve it. This will allow the bread to retain its texture and give the flavors time to meld and be absorbed by the bread.
• To assemble the panzanella, place the toasted bread in a large bowl. Add the reserved tomato juices, tossing gently. The bread should absorb the tomato juice and soften slightly. Add the diced tomatoes, olive oil infusion, basil, and Parmesan to the bowl. Toss gently to evenly distribute the ingredients. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary.
• Allow the panzanella to sit for up to 30 minutes before serving. Serve at room temperature, garnishing with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar or balsamic vinegar glaze if desired. Enjoy!