What's in Season: Salad Days
Summer arrives and all the food around us is so fresh, sensual, and flavorful. We want eat delicious things that don’t keep us chained to the stove. Like amazing salads that will have you and your gue...
This classic Italian bread and tomato salad is fresh and summery, and hearty enough to serve as a meal.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 2-4 Serving(s)
- 1 smallish loaf good crusty bread, torn into bite-sized chunks and left to sit for a day or two
- 5 large heirloom tomatoes such as Green Zebras, Cherokee Purples, Yellow Pine apples, or Brandy wines, cut into wedges
- 1-2 cups Sungold tomatoes, cut into halves
- 3-5 chive blossoms, individual blossoms picked apart - you may use shallots cut into wedges and slowly sautéed until soft and translucent, or thinly shaved red onion, as a substitute
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, rinsed and patted dry
- Good extra virgin olive oil for soaking, drizzling, pan-frying
- Red wine vinegar
- Flake sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Preparation
Lay the bread out on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in a 400° oven, 10-15 minutes or until deeply golden, rotating croutons at edge with those in the center for even browning. Cool croutons on the pan set on a wire rack.
On a serving platter, arrange the ingredients in piles: nestle the array of colorful tomatoes next to the croutons -pan emptied of even the crumbs (those crunchy bits will be great in the mix). Follow with basil leaves and scatter chive blossoms (or allium of your choice) around. Mix together a 2:1 ratio of olive oil and red wine vinegar, freshly cracked black pepper and a pinch of salt, and whisk together to emulsify. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Drizzle dressing over all, saving some for table side. Sprinkle with flake salt and freshly ground pepper and eat at once.
More Summer Salads from Melina Hammer
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