Heirloom Panzanella Salad Recipe

Nothing beats the taste of fresh summer produce!  Literally this is probably what I look forward to most with the start of the summer season.  Whether your enjoying the delicious array of berries that are now in season or the abundance of fresh herbs like basil, summer is the best time of year for enjoying all things fresh and colorful. 

In an effort to come up with a recipe that best celebrates the array of delicious summer flavors, I spent some time researching recipes in hopes of finding inspiration.   All I can say is that it was time well spent, because I came across the most fabulous collection of Panzanella Salad recipes and could not have been more excited to create my own.

My Heirloom Panzanella Salad recipe is really a meal in and of itself - carbohydrates, protein, dairy, fresh veggies and healthy fats.  In addition, this recipe is super easy to make (minimal cooking involved) and can keep for up to 3 days in the fridge (making it ideal for meal planning and entertaining).  Here is how I went about creating this most delicious seasonal dish:

Ingredients

• 1 Loaf Fresh Italian Bread (cut into 1" cubes)
• 1 Lg Heirloom Tomato (cut into 1/2" cubes)
• 1 pkg Mini Heirloom Tomatoes (sliced in halves or quarter pieces)
• 1c Fresh Basil (sliced into strips)
• 1/2 Red Onion (sliced into thin strips)
• 5 Mini English Cucumbers (cut into 1/4"semicircles)
• 1 Jar Capers (drained and rinsed)
• 1 8oz Ball Fresh Mozzarella (cut into 1/4" cubes)
• Sweet Mini Peppers (about 1c of sliced pieces)
• 1/2c Olive Oil
• 4 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 Shallot (finely chopped)
• 1/4 tsp Freshly Cracked Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt (+ more for seasoning bread)
• Spray Olive Oil (about 3-4Tbs)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit
2. Place bread cubes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
3. Spray tops of bread with olive oil and then sprinkle with kosher salt
4. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until golden brown
5. Meanwhile, in a very large bowl (like this one) combine onions, capers, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, basil and mozzarella.  Then set aside
6. In a small bowl (or glass measuring cup, which is my preference), combine 1/2c olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, shallot, pepper and 1/2 tsp salt
7. Pour vinaigrette over mozzarella/veggie mixture and toss
8. Add toasted bread cubes (once slightly cooled) to the vinaigrette coated veggies and slowly toss until all ingredients are sufficiently incorporated.
9. Allow the salad to sit for at least an hour before serving so that the flavors have time to blend together.  

*I love serving this salad alongside freshly grilled steaks or packing this salad for a picnic with friends.  

How to Create the Ultimate Vegetable Platter

Crudités platters have become a staple in my menu repertoire when hosting a cocktail party during the spring and summer months.  Not only are they healthy, colorful and accommodate a variety of dietary restrictions, but they are also an assembly-only hors d'oeuvres option!  If you have ever purchased a crudites platter from the store, it most likely included baby carrots, broccoli, chunky celery sticks and grape tomatoes.  While that is certainly a fine and dandy nibble option when pressed for time, I have personally grown tired of the typical crudites offerings.  Knowing that there are so many fabulous options when it comes to creating a veggie platter, has really turned me off from ever wanting to serve baby carrots to my guests again.  With a little extra effort, you can make a stunning tray of veggies that will have your guests coming back for seconds.   Here is how I went about creating my ultimate vegetable platter:

Veggie Platter Details

To create this most delicious platter, I started with the foundations - a large rectangular serving platter from CB2 and two Marta Tasting Glasses to hold the dips for the board.  Really, its all about the types of veggies used and the way in which you opt to present the produce that can transform you average platter into a true showstopper.  For this platter, I included the following veggies sliced in unique formats using either a peeler, mini mandoline slicer or paring knife.

• Mini English Cucumbers, sliced on the diagonal
• Mini Heirloom Tomatoes
• Peeled Carrots, stems removed and placed below carrots for garnish
• Red and Yellow Peppers, sliced thin
• Tri-colored Carrots (purple, white and orange), sliced on the diagonal
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Radishes, served both whole and sliced thin
• Celery, sliced on the diagonal
• Asparagus, top half only

Veggie Dips

I opted to serve both a lemon hummus and roasted red pepper hummus along side this platter.  Both hummuses were store bought, so I decided to elevate their respective presentations by topping each with a unique/no-fuss garnish.  For the red pepper hummus, I added a sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes to kick up the heat a notch.   As for the lemon hummus, I opted to include a few fresh thyme leaves and long thin strips of fresh lemon zest to highlight the current flavors and add some additional flavor complexity.  

This platter was so much fun to assemble and it made for a great addition to yesterday's party menu.  I hope this post has inspired you to look beyond the baby carrots the next time you have to create your own veggie platter and include more unique and seasonal items.  Assembling an ultimate veggie platter is a great/refreshing way to keep a healthy option in the mix at your next party.