By Luci
Summer tomatoes are such a joy. Remember pouncing on them when they first appeared in July? And rushing to make your favorite dish with them? Mine is an open-faced sandwich of crusty Italian seeded bread, slathered with mayo, topped with thick slices of tomato and sprinkled generously with sea salt. After binging on those for a week or so, it’s time to increase the repertoire. There are lots of great things to do with summer tomatoes but I favor dishes that highlight the unique and superb taste of fresh, uncooked, summer tomatoes.
Many people prefer heirloom tomatoes for their outstanding flavor and splendid appearance. Deep red, purplish ones have a flavor to match - full, rich, almost smoky, quite acidic. Lighter reds, orange and yellow heirlooms are less acidic and sweeter, some so sweet they are like candy. Some come in stripes. The zebra is green with light stripes. Other varieties are shaded from red to gold.
A popular dish using fresh tomatoes is panzanella, a Tuscan salad that features chunks of fresh tomato and toasted bread cubes in a red-wine vinaigrette. Basil is usually included and sometimes mozzarella. It’s one of those dishes that just sings in the mouth. Panzanella makes a great salad for lunch or dinner or as a side dish. It’s best freshly made: it does not keep well overnight. Still, I’ve enjoyed it for breakfast.
Basic Panzanella
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
4-5 ounces crusty Italian bread (day-old bread is fine) , cut into 1-inch cubes
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
2-2.5 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup basil, leaves torn into small pieces
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Place bread cubes into a large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, add salt and stir to coat cubes well.
Put the bread cubes on a sheet pan and bake in oven until edges are light brown but inside is still a bit soft, about 8 - 9 minutes.
To make the dressing, put a colander over the bowl used to coat the bread cubes with olive oil. Place the tomatoes in the colander and sprinkle with salt. Toss briefly but do not break up the tomato pieces. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the tomatoes to release their juice.
Set aside the colander and tomatoes. Discard all but 1/4 cup tomato juice. Add it to the mixing bowl along with the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil, the vinegar, mustard, garlic and black pepper. Whisk until well combined and slightly thickened. Add the tomatoes and bread cubes, stir briefly, then add the basil and stir again.
Let the salad rest for 30 minutes before serving.
You don’t have to stick to the tried-and-true original Tuscan version. Here are three versions that employ bread, tomato, and vinaigrette as the foundation, but vary the type of herb, cheese or other addition that will give the dish its final character.
With Tarragon and Brie
Substitute chopped tarragon* for basil; add 1/4 pound Brie cut into small pieces.
*On this occasion I used Mexican tarragon rather than French. Mexican tarragon has larger, tougher leaves and a stronger taste. French tarragon is preferred, but I could not obtain any for this occasion.
With Mint and Feta
Use 1/2 cup chopped mint and add crumbled feta.
With Basil and Salami
Panzanella does not usually include meat, but since childhood I have adored the combination of soft salami and tomato so I tried the combination here. Lovely!
Use 1/2 cup of torn basil pieces. Cut 1/2 cup (or more if you are a soft salami lover) of small chunks from a thick round of soft salami.
The above variations indicate the versatility of panzanella so be creative and prepare panzanella with your favorite herb/cheese combo and feast on this salad so right for a summer day.
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