Last weekend was such a great weekend. We had our friends Andrew, Hilde, and their little guy Benjamin visiting from Norway for the weekend. We had so many laughs and lots of great conversations and too much good food. A trip to the farmer’s market for cheese, samosas, and chicken souvlaki, a walk through Odell Park, and lots of shopping in between made for a fantastic time. We only wish the weekend were longer. We were so sad to see them go.
Andrew and Stephen made dinner Saturday night – which included some of the best barbecue steaks we’ve ever eaten and an onion and blue cheese cream sauce. Ah-mazing.
Last night Stephen and I cooked and ate the last two steaks we had from the weekend, along with this panzanella salad. It was the perfect accompaniment to the steaks.
This panzanella salad is just so good. So so tasty and good. It’s great for using up any kind of leftover bread.
We served this with grilled beef tenderloin and my husband’s onion and blue cheese cream sauce.
[Recipe] Panzanella
6 cups stale bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 lb ripe tomatoes, chopped into 1 inch pieces (about 4 cups)
1/2 English cucumber, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
12 basil leaves, chopped or torn
Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes. Spread them on a baking sheet and drizzle with the 3 Tbsp olive oil. Toss with the garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Toast the bread in the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden and crispy.
While the bread is toasting, assemble the dressing: combine all ingredients and whisk or shake well. Set aside.
Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion in a large bowl.
Chiffonade the basil:
Roll the leaves together into a tight bundle.
Slice thinly.
Add the basil to the vegetables.
Add the toasted croutons to the vegetables.
Dress with the dressing and toss well.
Let sit 15 minutes before serving.
[Recipe] Panzanella
Ingredients
- 6 cups stale bread cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 lb ripe tomatoes chopped into 1 inch pieces (about 4 cups)
- 1/2 English cucumber seeded and chopped
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 12 basil leaves chopped or torn
- Dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes. Spread them on a baking sheet and drizzle with the 3 Tbsp olive oil. Toss with the garlic and season with salt and pepper.
- Toast the bread in the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden and crispy.
- While the bread is toasting, assemble the dressing: combine all ingredients and whisk or shake well. Set aside.
- Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion in a large bowl.
- Chiffonade the basil:
- Roll the leaves together into a tight bundle.
- Slice thinly.
- Add the basil to the vegetables.
- Add the toasted croutons to the vegetables.
- Dress with the dressing and toss well.
- Let sit 15 minutes before serving.
