Tag Archives: red onion

Recipes - Salads

Panzanella


This is the second of the salads we enjoyed  at the Sharpe’s house earlier this month when we did a salad bar evening.  Panzanella is a refreshing Italian bread salad best prepared when tomatoes are at their juiciest in the summer.  We were on a “salads-for-supper” kick one evening and this tasty salad was one of our stars of the show.

There’s very little cooking required here; prepare your croutons before beginning and you’ll be well on your way.  We used part of a loaf of crusty French bread for croutons and very ripe Roma tomatoes that were begging to be used. Don’t forget the basil and the Mozzarella as they add both flavor and creaminess here.

For best results, make this salad an hour or so before you sit down to the table and serve it at room temperature. Whether eaten as a main dish or a simple side with grilled meat, this one is sure to please everyone at your table.

Panzanella

Ingredients

1/2 loaf (8 oz.) rustic bread such as a French loaf
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
4 ripe tomatoes, diced
2 small cucumbers, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 red or green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, sliced
10 leaves fresh basil, snipped into small pieces
1-1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese, diced or shredded

Directions: Heat oven to 350. Cut or tear the bread into 1-inch pieces and spread on a baking sheet. Bake until it is dry and slightly crisp (think croutons), about 8 minutes; remove from oven and set aside. In medium bowl, whisk vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic; set aside. In large serving bowl, toss the bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, onion, basil and the mozzarella. Add dressing and mix well. Allow salad to sit before serving, room temperature is fine.

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Recipes - Salads

Garbanzo Bean Salad

As promised, per request, I am posting some “catch up” recipes from my summer vacation cooking marathon at the Sharpes’ house!  The Florida weather was a mix of oppressive humidity and bright sunshine and we quickly fell into a “salad bar” state of mind.  My next few blog posts are the result of one such evening.

I normally make this flavorful salad using canned garbanzo beans (also known as chick peas), but because Larry had a bag of dried garbanzos from a visit to the local health food store, this day I cooked and used dried garbanzos.  If you do use canned beans, rinse them well!

The simple dressing enhances the nutty flavor of the beans, and, when served well-chilled, this is the perfect summer salad. I sometimes also add pieces of thinly-sliced raw cucumber to the mix so feel free to substitute here.  The salad goes well with any tasty cracker or pita chips.  If you are feeling a little of that oppressive summer heat in your area today, do try this one!  It is refreshing and tasty and so enjoyable!

Garbanzo Bean Salad

Ingredients

3/4 cup olive oil
2 T. red wine vinegar
1-1/2 t. salt
1-1/2 t. pepper
2 cups Garbanzo beans, drained
1 medium red onion, chopped and small dice
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 bunch fresh basil, to taste, torn small pieces

Directions Combine oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and whisk well. Add remaining ingredients and stir gently to thoroughly blend. Chill well and serve cold.

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