Breadsalad Recipes

MID-SUMMER ITALIAN BREAD SALAD

Steps:

• Rub a peeled clove of garlic around a wooden salad bowl.
• Pull apart or chop the bread into bite-size pieces.
• In the prepared salad bowl, combine the bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, garlic, basil and thyme. Add enough olive oil and vinegar to lightly coat, toss and serve.

PANZANELLA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saute 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 all the ingredients together.
• In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

BREAD AND TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the bread, tomatoes, basil and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients; drizzle over bread mixture. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes before serving.

PANZANELLA (ITALIAN BREAD SALAD)

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, garlic and basil.
• Drizzle with the 1/2 cup olive oil and the 3 tblsps vinegar, season with salt and pepper and toss well.
• Place half of the bread in a wide, shallow bowl.
• Spoon half of the tomato mixture over the bread.
• Layer the remaining bread on top and then the remaining tomato mixture.
• Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Just before serving, toss the salad and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
• If the bread seems dry, add a little oil or vinegar.
• Serve immediately.

TOASTED BREAD SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, lime juice, vinegar, and 3 tablespoons safflower oil; set vinaigrette aside.
• In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with olive oil until well coated. Spread bread cubes in an even layer on a baking sheet. Transfer to oven until golden and toasted, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl and add cucumber, tomatoes, ginger (if using), cilantro, mint, basil, jalapeno, and arugula. Drizzle vinaigrette over top, and season with salt and pepper; toss to combine.

GARLIC BREAD SALAD

Steps:

• Cut baguette lengthwise in half; cut each half into two pieces. In a small bowl, combine the butter, tomatoes, pesto and garlic. Spread over cut sides of bread. Place on an ungreased baking sheet., Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly. Meanwhile, toss romaine and salad dressing; divide among bread slices. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

WARM BREAD SALAD

Steps:

• Place currants in a small dish, add red wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon warm water, and set aside. Heat broiler. Place pine nuts in small baking dish, and toast under broiler until very lightly colored. Set aside.
• Cut bread into three or four large chunks. Closely trim off most of the crust and reserve, if desired, to toast and use for bread crumbs or to float in soup. Brush bread all over with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Briefly broil bread chunks, turning until crisp and golden on surface. Remove from oven, trim off any charred tips, and tear chunks into irregular pieces, from 2-inch wads to large crumbs. You should have 4 cups. Place in wide metal, glass or ceramic salad bowl.
• Whisk 1/4 cup olive oil with 1 1/2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons of this dressing over bread and toss.
• Place one tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet. Add garlic and scallions, and cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until softened but not colored. Add to bread and fold in. Drain currants and fold in. Add pine nuts and fold in. Drizzle salad with stock or water, and fold in. Taste a couple of pieces of bread. Add a little more vinegar, salt and pepper if necessary. Toss well, and transfer to a 4-cup baking dish. Tent lightly with foil. Do not wash salad bowl. Set salad aside until about 30 minutes before serving time.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place bread salad in oven, turn off heat, and leave for 15 minutes. Return salad to bowl. Add greens, remaining vinaigrette, and enough of remaining olive oil so bread is not dry. Toss again. Serve with grilled or roasted meat.

WARM BREAD SALAD

Steps:

• Cut the top third of the bread off and set the parts aside, uncovered, for several hours or overnight. When the bread is somewhat stale, use your hands or a spoon to scrape the bread away from the crusts. Set the larger bottom crusts aside and rip the top crusts into small pieces. Place the pieces, along with the interior bread, in a large bowl and add 2 cups of the stock. Sprinkle the remaining cup of stock over the bread-crust bowls. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat and add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender (do not let them brown), 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken livers and continue to cook until they are just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add the sherry vinegar and currants to the pan with the livers and cook until the vinegar just evaporates, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the soaked bread, sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
• Dice the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and dot inside the bottom of the bread bowls with it. Spoon the mixture into the bowls, packing it in and mounding it. Cover the bowls with foil and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, or until they are warmed through. Slice into wedges and serve.

SUMMER BREAD SALAD

Steps:

• Combine vinegar and shallot in a bowl; set aside to let shallot soften.
• Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt and green beans, and cook until bright green, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer green beans to ice-water bath. Add zucchini to boiling water, and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer zucchini to ice-water bath. Let cool, then drain.
• Toss green beans, zucchini, tomatoes, and cucumber in a large bowl.
• Add mustards, herbs, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to shallot mixture. Add 1/4 cup oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified. Pour vinaigrette over vegetables, and toss. Let stand at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld. (Vegetables can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.)
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil, and toss. Toast, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Add croutons to salad, and toss. Let stand 1 hour before serving so that croutons can soften. If you prefer your croutons crisp, add them to the salad just before serving.

BREAD SALAD

Steps:

• Combine bread, tomatoes and basil in large bowl.
• In food processor with metal blade, chop garlic and salt. Add rosemary, hot pepper flakes and vinegar.
• Add olive oil in a stream to emulsify.
• Toss bread mixture and dressing.
• Allow to stand for at least 20 minutes so the bread can absorb the dressing.

BREAD SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, onion, and capers. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and oil; season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss thoroughly but gently. Spread croutons in a single layer in a large serving bowl. Spoon vegetables evenly over the croutons and pour any remaining liquid in the bowl over all.