Country Panzanella With Watermelon Dressing Recipes

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.

COUNTRY PANZANELLA WITH WATERMELON DRESSING

Steps:

• Make the dressing: Using a coarse grater set over a medium bowl, grate the watermelon flesh then rind, grating the rind all the way to the skin. (You should have about 1 cup grated watermelon.) Discard the firm skin. Add the sugar and 1 teaspoon salt; stir to dissolve the sugar and salt grains. Allow the mixture to sit for at least 10 minutes.
• Add the garlic, mustard, thyme leaves, red-pepper flakes, ground black pepper, vinegar and oil. Whisk together (or transfer to a mason jar, cover and shake vigorously). The dressing makes 2 cups, and will keep, refrigerated, up to 1 week; shake before use.
• Make the salad: Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a small sheet pan, toss the cubed bread, olive oil, thyme and sea salt together. Spread in a single layer and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until toasted and golden brown.
• In a large serving bowl, combine the watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber and red onion. Drain any excess liquid before adding the toasted bread cubes and half the basil. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Divide among individual bowls, if you like. Top with crumbled feta, remaining basil leaves and spoon additional dressing over the top.

AUTUMN PANZANELLA

Steps:

• For the croutons: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over moderate heat and cook until it foams. In a large bowl, pour the butter over the 12 cups cubed bread and toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to season all of the bread. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet.
• Bake, stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
• Croutons can be made 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container.
• *Michael's Notes: I use a serrated knife to remove the crust from day-old bread, then switch to a chef's knife to cut the cubes because it doesn't tear the bread. Also note that I recommend grating the Parmesan finely so that it will stick to the bread better.
• For the dressing: Melt the butter in a small skillet over moderately low heat. Add the yellow onion and saute until soft, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the vinegar and stir with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the skillet. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add 1/2 cup of the olive oil, then the water. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• For the salad: Heat a large skillet over high heat. When hot, add 1/4 cup olive oil. When the oil begins to smoke, sprinkle in the mushrooms. Don't stir! Let them sizzle until they have caramelized on the bottom, about 2 minutes. If you toss them too soon, they will release their liquid and begin to steam. When the bottoms are caramelized, toss the mushrooms, reduce the heat to moderate, and continue to cook until well browned. Stir in the thyme and garlic and cook for about 1 minute to release their fragrance. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a large bowl, combine the croutons, the mushrooms, and the onion dressing. Toss well to coat. Add the celery, red onion, and arugula or spinach and toss again gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Grate fresh Parmesan on top and serve immediately.

WATERMELON PANZANELLA SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Toss bread cubes, 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Spread onto a baking sheet in a single layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven, tossing once halfway through baking, until golden, about 8 minutes. Let cool.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees (175 degrees C). Spread walnuts onto a baking sheet.
• Toast walnuts in the preheated oven until golden brown and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Whisk lime juice, honey, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cumin, and pepper together in a bowl. Pour in 1/2 cup olive oil, whisking continuously, until dressing is blended.
• Combine bread cubes, watermelon, spinach-arugula mix, and feta cheese in a large bowl. Add a few tablespoons of dressing; toss to mix. Sprinkle toasted walnuts and basil on top. Drizzle more dressing over the top.

WATERMELON PANZANELLA

Steps:

• Salad: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Tear the ciabatta into crouton-sized pieces, drizzle with olive oil, place in a roasting pan, and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Toss the onion, watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber, capers, cheese, olives and basil together in a large bowl.
• Add the ciabatta and mix together well. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the mixture to a serving platter.
• Dressing: Whisk the vinegar, oil, garlic and sugar together. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour over salad and let stand 1 hour to allow the ingredients to marinate before serving.