The idea for preparing this salad came from the necessity to use a whole-wheat baguette that I’d bought with the intention of preparing something else.  However,  laziness and procrastination set in and my fresh whole-wheat baguette became a day-old loaf that would have otherwise been tossed out had it not been for this panzanella.  Panzanella is a Tuscan salad where the main ingredients are toasted cubes of bread, usually past their prime, tomatoes and a dressing of some sort.  Panzanellas are really easy to make, and like all salads they are customizable and highly forgiving.   For my Thai-inspired version, I used  fresh, red-Thai chili, the longer ones, not the tiny intensely hot ones; golden strips of zesty ginger, which add a pepperiness; and fresh mint, which is slightly cooling.  Although it isn’t necessary to use day old bread, I find it holds up better in this salad and doesn’t get too soggy, like fresh breads may sometimes become. This recipe is enough for 4 smaller portions served as a side salad or two hearty full-sized lunch portions, as is usually the case for Ned and me.

Thai-Inspired Panzanella

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 whole wheat baguette, preferably day old, cut into 1” cubes (about 5-6 cups)
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 Red Thai chili, thinly sliced diagonally (deseeded if you like it less spicy)
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced diagonally
• 1 ½” knob of ginger, julienned
• ⅓ cup mint, julienned
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil

 For the Dressing:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

 

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Place the bread cubes into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over the bread cubes and sprinkle on the salt and pepper.   Toss to coat and place in the pan. Toast the bread, tossing occasionally, until toasted and warmed through, about 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile make the dressing.
2. To make the dressing, add the olive oil, lime juice, sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce and garlic to the mixing bowl that you used for the bread cubes. Whisk well to incorporate the ingredients. Then add the tomatoes, chili, scallions and ginger. Using a large serving spoon, combine the ingredients.
3. Once the bread is toasted and fragrant, pour it into the bowl, and toss the ingredients, allowing the bread to soak up the dressing. When the bread has cooled slightly from the dressing, add the mint and give it another tossing. Check for seasonings.
4. Allow the salad to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, so the flavors marry, before serving. Enjoy at room temperature.