Italian Grilled-bread Salad
This is a crispier, more colourful and greener variation on traditional Italian Bread Salad. It includes grilled leftover baguette, tomatoes, spring greens, cucumber, lots of basil, oregano, and parsley. It’s perfect for hot summer days when sun-ripe tomatoes and fresh basil are available. Like all my recipes, I encourage you to improvise with ingredients and quantities as you feel inspired.
Ingredients (for two people)
Approx. 1/3 of a French or sourdough baguette
2 cups chunky vine-ripened diced tomatoes, or 4 on-the-vine tomatoes
1 small Persian cucumber or 2-3 pickling cucumbers
1 small red shallot finely sliced (optional soak on boiling water to soften the taste)
2 handfuls of fresh spring greens
2 tablespoon freshly chopped basil
2 tablespoon freshly chopped Italian parsley
1 teaspoon freshly chopped oregano or ½ tsp dried oregano (optional)
4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
A little oil for grilling the bread (I like using a mix of Avocado and Olive oil)
2 tablespoon red wine or Balsamic vinegar
Salt and milled pepper to taste
How to:
Cut the baguette into mouth size pieces. Toast in a lightly oiled frying pan. You can brush oil on sliced baguette and grill the bread. Cut or tear apart into mouth size pieces.
Place the grilled bread in a salad bowl. Add tomatoes, onion, greens and cucumber. Add the chopped herbs. In a small bowl whisk olive oil, vinegar and salt. Add to salad. Add milled pepper, toss and serve. This salad can be prepared an hour or two before serving.
Try adding sliced peppers, garlic, pesto or anything else that might inspire you. Sometimes I add cooked beans or sliced, hard-boiled eggs for protein to make a full meal. I could also be lovely with fish.
Enjoy and improvise.